During the Meuse-Argonne campaign, this trench runner took initiative

One of the ironic tales to emerge retrospectively from World War I concerns a young Adolf Hitler, a regimental trench-runner in the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment. Allegedly, his commanding officer, Hugo Gutmann, while recommending him for the Iron Cross First Class for courage under fire, denied him a promotion on the grounds that he lacked the leadership qualities.

That story, true or not, makes for an interesting comparison to a trench runner in the American Expeditionary Forces, a private whose initiative — and leadership under fire — far exceeded expectations.

Sterling Lewis Morelock was born on June 5, 1890, in Silver Run, Maryland. His father, Addison Morelock, was a bookkeeper. His mother, Sarah, died in July 1912, after which Morelock, who was then working as a labore