Born and raised in St. Louis, Alexander Rives Skinker earned his Bachelor’s degree from WashU in 1905 and initially served in the Missouri National Guard’s Light Artillery Battery A (1903–1908). He re-entered military service in 1916 as an Army officer and was assigned to Company I of the 138ᵗʰ Infantry, 35ᵗʰ Division. On September 26, 1918, during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive near Cheppy, France, Captain Skinker bravely led an assault on fortified German machine-gun pillboxes along the Hindenburg Line. Despite intense fire and the loss of fellow soldiers, he pressed on delivering ammunition under fire, ultimately sacrificing his life—a deed for which he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor Skinker is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis and remembered by memorials such as Skinker Boulevard and Skinker Station near campus.
Please visit the Congressional Medal of Honor website to learn more about the Medal of Honor and all those who have received it: Congressional Medal of Honor Society | Official Website