Samuel Major Sampler was a 23 year old corporal on October 8, 1918, when he was in a company of soldiers near St. Etienne in France and stopped a barrage of enemy machine-gunfire, saving the lives of the rest of his company.
Born in Decator in Wise County Texas, one of 13 children , he grew up during his early years in Audubon, New Jersey, billed the Most Patriotic Town in America. That is because Sampler is one of three Medal of Honor recipients who lived in that little community at some time in their lives.
The family later moved to Jackson County, Oklahoma, the state to which the Medal of Honor is accredited, since that he is where he was with the Oklahoma National Guard’s First Infantry Regiment the start of World War I.
When the National Guard was activated for the war, it was consolidated with the 7th Texas, forming the 142nd Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division. Sampler, as a member of the Oklahoma National Guard, was part of the consolidation and served with the newly formed 142nd during the war.
The corporal was with the regiment when he was sent to France and fought vigorously and bravely along with the rest of the company. When news of his bravery and quick actions reached higher military officials, he was offered a commission, which meant a promotion to First Lieutenant upon his discharge, which he declined.
Promoted to Sergeant, Sampler received his medal in Cheney, France from Gen. William R. Smith on May 2, 1919. In 1920, he was one of 54 living recipients of the Congressional Medal and one of six Jews who received the Medal of Honor.
Sampler married a Philadelphia native in Altus, Oklahoma after he returned from war and the couple moved back to Philadelphia while he worked at the Naval Supply Depot there. He and his wife had two children, Doris and Major, both of whom have since died.
Later in life, he was diagnosed with diabetes and after his wife died in 1961, he moved to Ft. Myers, Fla. He met a widow visiting from Ohio and they married in 1965. He died in Fort Myers on Dec. 19, 1979 at age 84 and is buried in Memorial Gardens Cemetery in that city.
Sgt. Sampler’s Medal of Honor Citation reads
His company, having suffered severe casualties during an advance under machine-gun fire, was finally stopped. Cpl. Sampler detected the position of the enemy machine guns on an elevation. Armed with German hand grenades, which he had picked up, he left the line and rushed forward in the face of heavy fire until he was near the hostile nest, where he grenaded the position. His third grenade landed among the enemy, killing two, silencing the machine guns, and causing the surrender of 28 Germans, whom he sent to the rear as prisoners. As a result of his act the company was immediately enabled to resume the advance
Sgt. Sampler is honored in all three states in which he had resided.
In Audubon, NJ, a memorial installed designed and created by high school students was raised on the school grounds, and every Memorial Day, Sampler, two more Congressional Medal recipients, and all veterans of the borough are honored in special ceremonies at the memorial.
In 2008, Oklahoma honored the soldier and has photo and story made a part of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.
In Texas, he is honored by the Texas State Historical Association.
