Calvin Titus

Calvin Pearl Titus
Calvin Titus in his West Point Cadet Uniform
Born	(1879-09-22)September 22, 1879 Vinton, Iowa
Died	May 27, 1966(1966-05-27) (aged 86) San Fernando, California
Place of burial	Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Los Angeles
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1898–1930
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Unit	14th Infantry Regiment
Battles/wars	Philippine–American War Boxer Rebellion *Battle of Peking Mexican Expedition
Awards	Medal of Honor

Calvin Pearl Titus (September 22, 1879 – May 27, 1966), a soldier of the United States Army, was the last American standard-bearer. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Peking of the Boxer Rebellion.

Calvin Pearl Titus was the son of Calvin and Cora Smith Titus of Vinton, Iowa. He moved to Oklahoma with his father after his mother died, and later lived with his Aunt Florence and Uncle William (Bill) H. Lee, evangelists with first the Salvation Army and later the Pilgrim Holiness movement. Calvin Pearl 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.

Titus first joined the United States Army in May 1898, serving with the 1st Vermont Volunteer Infantry (although raised for the Spanish–American War, this unit never left the United States). He joined the 14th Infantry Regiment in April 1899, serving in the Philippines and China.

He was then appointed to West Point as a result of his award of the Medal of Honor, where President Theodore Roosevelt's presentation of his medal there on March 11, 1902, was the climax of a ceremony to celebrate the academy's centennial. He graduated with the West Point Class of 1905

His religious faith led him to try to become an Army Chaplain, but his denomination was not at that time recognized by the Army. Instead, he rejoined his old regiment as a second lieutenant.

Titus later served in the Mexican Expedition and with the U.S. occupation forces in Germany.