Calvin Pearl Titus
September 22, 1879 — May 27, 1966
August 14, 2010 marked the 110th anniversary of U.S. Army Corporal and Trumpeter Calvin P Titus’ daring exploit that resulted in his being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Calvin credited his time in his uncle’s evangelical band with giving him the bugle skills to join the armed forces and eventually leading him to Peking. Calvin Pearl got into West Point as a result of his Medal of Honor, where President Theodore Roosevelt’s presentation of his medal was the climax of a ceremony to celebrate the academy’s centennial. His religious upbringing led him to try to become an Army Chaplain but his denomination was not at that point in time recognized by the Army. He became a Chaplain’s assistant instead. He retired from the Army with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
During the fiercely opposed relief expedition to Peking in the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, when two companies of the U.S. Army’s 14th Infantry Regiment were pinned by heavy fire from the east wall of the Tartar City and the Fox Tower between abutments of the Chinese City Wall near Tung Pien Gate, volunteers were called for to attempt the first perilous ascent of the wall. Trumpeter Calvin P. Titus of E Company immediately stepped forward saying, “I’ll try, sir!” Using jagged holes in the stone wall, he succeeded in reaching the top. He was followed by the rest of his company, who climbed unarmed, and hauled up their rifles and ammunition belts by a rope made of rifle slings. As the troops ascended the wall artillery fire from Reilly’s battery set fire to the Fox Tower. In the face of continued heavy Chinese fire, the colors broke out in the August breeze as the sign that U.S. Army troops had achieved a major step in the relief of the besieged Legations. For his courageous and daring deed in being the first to climb the wall, Trumpeter Titus was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Titus scales the wall
Titus entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point
Cadet Titus at West Point
In 1902 President Theodore Roosevelt traveled to the academy. The presentation of his medal was the climax of a ceremony to celebrate the academy’s centennial.
Titus receives the Medal of Honor from the President
Titus went onto a career in the US Army. By the time the U.S. entered World War I, Titus was a major, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel before Armistice Day. He performed administrative duties in the States and did not go overseas until after the war. He returned to Iowa to run the ROTC program at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for six years, retiring about 1930.
Lt. Colonel Calvin P. Titus
Medal of Honor Citation
Rank and organization: Musician, U.S. Army, Company E, 14th U.S. Infantry. Place and date: At Peking, China, August 14, 1900. Entered service at: Iowa. Birth: Vinton, Iowa. Date of issue: March 11, 1902.
Citation:
Gallant and daring conduct in the presence of his colonel and other officers and enlisted men of his regiment; was first to scale the wall of the city.
The bugle played by Calvin Titus is in the museum at West Point
Calvin Titus Bugle
Calvin Titus Bugle
Tags: Calvin Titus, Medal of Honor
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I was looking through a wide assortment of photos of my late parents, grandparents and great grandparents, finding that most of what I viewed was without dates. Feeling my frustrations growing, I found a wedding announcement photo in which my father was the ringbearer. This article came from the LACROSSE TRIBUNE and that date, too, was cut off. I discoved the article about Lt Col. Calvin P. Titus’ impending retirement, on the opposite side of this newspaper clipping, went on line and read about this legendary soldier. As a retired Marine, I was surprised that I had never known about this incident even though the Boxer Rebellion has its share of Marine Corps heroes which I learned about in boot camp. This wedding likely occurred sometime in early June 1930 just before my father’s 7th birthday. My dad was later a P51 pilot in the Army Air Corps and retired an Air Force lieutenant colonel. I thank LtCol Titus and my dad, for their service to our great country. Stephen W. Amodt Captain USMC retired
I was looking through a wide assortment of photos of my late parents, grandparents and great grandparents, finding that most of what I viewed was without dates. Feeling my frustrations growing, I found a wedding announcement photo in which my father was the ringbearer. This article came from the LACROSSE TRIBUNE and that date, too, was cut off. I discoved the article about Lt Col. Calvin P. Titus’ impending retirement, went on line and read about this legendary soldier. As a retired Marine, I was surprised that I had never known about this incident even though the Boxer Rebellion has its share of Marine Corps heroes which I learned about in boot camp. This wedding article likely occurred sometime in early June 1930 just before my father’s 7th birthday. My dad was later a P51 pilot in the Army Aur Corps and retired an Air Force lieutenant colonel. I thank LtCol Titus and my dad, for their service to our great country. Stephen W. Amodt Captain USMC retired