Major Charles White Whittlesey, a Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient was the Commander of the Lost Battalion in the Argonne Forest in early October of 1918.

As a Major in the 77th Division 308th Infantry he and his men were surrounded by the Germans. Without supplies or food they held on against overwhelming odds refusing surrender. His reply to the Germans when a message was sent demanding the commands immediate surrender, was "Go to Hell."

At the end of the ordeal out of 550 men only 194 were left alive and were able to escape through the pocket of the Argonne. In recognition of his valor he was made a Lt. Colonel. Along with Captain McMurtry and Captain Holderman, they were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

My grandfather Pvt. 1st Class Frank G. S. Erickson of Company H was one of the fortunate men that escaped the onslaught and made it out of the Argonne alive. He never forgot that time for the rest of his life.

After the war, as a graduate of Harvard Law School he attempted to return to his law practice. Working as an attorney at the Wall Street firm of White & Case, but found himself in constant demand for speeches, parades, and honorary degrees.

The pressure wore on him intensely and he once complained to a friend: "Not a day goes by but I hear from some of my old outfit, usually about some sorrow or misfortune. I cannot bear it much more."

In mid November of 1921, Whittlesey acted as a pallbearer at the burial of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, along with fellow Medal of Honor recipients Samuel Woodfill and Alvin York.

On November 24th, 1921 he booked passage from New York to Havana aboard the S.S. Toloa, a United Fruit Company ship.

On November 26th, 1921, the first night out of New York, he dined with the captain and left the smoking room at 11:15 p.m. stating he was retiring for the evening. It was noted by the captain that he was in good spirits. It is presumed soon after, Whittlesey went to the railing of the ship and jumped.

He left no explanation, but he had written his will in New York, leaving his property to his mother, before embarking on the journey. He also left several letters in his cabin addressed to family and friends. He left the famous German letter asking for the surrender of the 308th to Captain George McMurtry.