James Ernest Karnes

Infobox Military Person
name=James Ernest Karnes
born= birth date|1889|7|20
died= Death date and age|1966|7|8|1889|7|20
placeofbirth=Arlington, Tennessee
placeofdeath=
placeofburial=


caption=
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Army
rank=Sergeant
unit=U.S. 117th Infantry Regiment
battles= World War I *Meuse-Argonne Offensive
awards=Medal of Honor Silver Star
laterwork=

James Ernest "Buck" Karnes was a Sergeant in the United States Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions near Estrees, France on 8 October 1918 during World War I.

Biography

James Ernest "Buck" Karnes (20 July, 1889–8 July, 1966), was born in Arlington, Tennessee and grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee. Karnes entered active duty with the United States Army's 117th Regiment from the Tennessee National Guard during World War I. On 8 October, 1918 during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, Karnes' company was stopped near Estrées, France by a German machine gun position. Karnes and Private Calvin John Ward, deciding they had "had all they could take"of this situation, fixed bayonets, charged and captured the position. This freed their company to advance against German lines in the last major offensive of the war. Both men won the Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism in this action.

The Alcoa Highway (U.S. Route 129) bridge over the Tennessee River in Knoxville is named after Karnes.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 117th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date: Near Estrees, France, 8 October 1918. Entered service at: Knoxville, Tenn. Born: 1889, Arlington, Tenn. G.O. No.: 50, W.D., 1919.

Citation:

:During an advance, his company was held up by a machinegun, which was enfilading the line. Accompanied by another soldier, he advanced against this position and succeeded in reducing the nest by killing 3 and capturing 7 of the enemy and their guns.

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War I

References

*findagrave|7862436 Retrieved on 2007-12-23
* [http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/4872/Regt_History.html Regimental History & Lineage - 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment]
* [http://www.etvma.org/docs/TNMedal.pdf East Tennessee Medal of Honor winners]

Persondata
NAME= Karnes, James Ernest
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=