Medal of Honor Monday: Army Cpl. Sidney Manning

During World War I, Army Cpl. Sidney Earnest Manning took charge of his platoon after his superiors fell during a major Allied counteroffensive. Manning survived the fight despite suffering several injuries. For his leadership and bravery, he received the Medal of Honor.  

Manning was born July 17, 1892, in Butler County, Alabama, to Barney and Sarah Manning. Early in his childhood, his parents moved him and his siblings — three brothers and a sister — to a farm near Flomaton, Alabama, along the border of the Florida Panhandle.   

Manning registered for the draft in June 1917, according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama, an online reference resource. He was initially assigned to the 4th Alabama Infantry, which was federalized soon after and converted into the Army’s 167th Infantry Regiment. The 167th was attached to the 42nd Infantry Division, which became known as the Rainbow Division because of its diverse compilation of National Guard units from across 26 states.  

In February 1918, the 42nd arrived in France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces. By mid-July, the German army had pushed its way into the north-central part of France and was advancing toward Paris. To stop them, Allied forces launched a counteroffensive in the Aisne-Marne region, an area where the Germans had been weakened.  

On July 28, 1918, the 167th was ordered to march north across the Ourcq River to capture a fortified German position in Sergy, France, overlooking the river. Not long after the assault began, Company G, of which Manning was part, lost its platoon commander and platoon sergeant. Manning quickly took the lead.  

Despite being severely wounded, Manning led the platoon’s remaining 35 men forward in a successful endeavor to gain a foothold on the enemy’s position. He was wounded several more times during that effort, but he remained with his platoon. Using his automatic rifle, he managed to hold off a large enemy force that was only 50 yards away. 

Manning refused to take cover until his platoon had been entirely consolidated. Only then did he drag himself to a shelter to receive medical attention for the nine wounds he had suffered.  

During the offensive, the 42nd suffered 6,500 casualties. By the end of the fight over Sergy, only seven of Manning’s platoonmates remained. However, the Aisne-Marne Offensive resulted in a significant victory for the Allies, marking a turning point in the war. 

Manning was immediately recommended for the Medal of Honor. He received it on March 17, 1919, from Army Gen. John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, while the 42nd was stationed in Europe during post-war occupation.  

Manning’s bravery during the war also earned him the Distinguished Service Cross, the French Croix de Guerre, the Italian Croce al Merito di Guerra and the Medal for Bravery from Montenegro. Pershing would later refer to Manning as one of the 10 immortals of the AEF.  

Sadly, while stationed overseas, Manning learned that his sister and infant daughter had died. He and his wife, Mamie, had one other child, Sidney Jr. 

Manning returned home after the war and continued working in the farming industry. He took part in various veterans’ events and even went to Capitol Hill in the early 1930s to protest the curtailment of pay to disabled veterans. By 1935, a bill was passed that gave Manning financial support to buy a farm and equipment of his own. 

Manning died on Dec. 15, 1960, at a veterans hospital in Montgomery County, Alabama. He is buried in Little Escambia Baptist Church Cemetery in his hometown of Flomaton.  

In 1996, Flomaton unveiled a monument at Lion’s Park that was dedicated to Manning. It was later moved to the town’s welcome center.  

In 2020, a portion of a highway running through Flomaton was renamed Cpl. Sidney Manning Memorial Highway. Manning’s granddaughter and great-grandson were present for the unveiling of its commemorative signs. 

This article is part of a weekly series called “Medal of Honor Monday,” in which we highlight one of the more than 3,500 Medal of Honor recipients who have received the U.S. military’s highest medal for valor. 

Source: Department of Defense