Class of 1918

(Charles Dashiell Harris, Born Jan. 25, 1897, Fort Niagara, NY.)​a

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, June 15, 1914, to Aug. 30, 1917, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Second Lieut., 6th Engineers.

First Lieut., Corps of Engineers, Aug. 30, 1917.

Captain, Corps of Engineers, Aug. 30, 1917.

Served: At Washington Bks., D. C., with Co. B, 6th Engineers, Oct. 31 to Dec. 2, 1917; en route to France with regiment, Dec. 4 to 22, 1917; commanding company in France in following activities: in Prauthoy Area, south of Langres, engaged in constructing barracks, stables and hospitals, Dec. 25, 1917, to Feb. 10, 1918; attached to Royal Engineers, 5th Army, British Expeditionary Force, and constructing heavy steel bridges over Somme River and Canal near Péronne, Feb. 10 to March 21; assisted in blowing up R. E. dump at Chaulnes, constructing and laying out trenches at Demuin, to March 27; part of General Carey's "picked up" Army, occupying front line trenches as Infantry, between Warfusee-Abancourt and Villers-Bretonneaux, to April 3; constructing steel bridges over Somme near Amiens, building roads, constructing trenches, dug‑outs and entanglements for defense of Amiens, to June 6; in Second Battle of the Marne, constructing trenches, dug‑outs, and machine gun positions, southeast of Château Thierry, building bridges over Marne River at Fossoy and Mezy, over Ardre River at Courville and St. Gillis, and over Ourcq River near Sergy, June 12 to Aug. 6; in St. Mihiel Offensive, repairing and constructing roads, Sept. 13‑15; in Meuse-Argonne Offensive, cutting trails through Bois de Hesse, building and repairing roads near Montfaucon, as reserve for Infantry in Bois de Bouge; support for Infantry in Bois de Fays Sept. 22 to Oct. 19; in Battle of Clairs Chênes, Oct. 20, 1918.

Died, Oct. 20, 1918, of Wounds Received in Action: Aged 21.

Awarded posthumously

Distinguished Service Cross.

"For extraordinary heroism in action in Clairs Chênes Woods, France, October 20, 1918. While leading his company in an attack on enemy machine‑gun nests he, with three of his men in advance of the remainder of the company, fearlessly attacked an enemy machine‑gun nest, capturing three prisoners and two guns, turning the guns against the enemy. He was mortally wounded while operating one of the guns in an exposed position."

Portrait and obituary in Annual Report, Association of Graduates, for 1919.

Buried, Princeton Cemetery, Princeton, NJ.