Edward Robert Talley was born September 6, 1890, in Russellville. He worked in the mining industry and served for three years as a private in a guard unit. Two days shy of his 27th birthday, Talley joined the United States Army and eventually transferred to Company L, 117th Infantry, 30th Division. He arrived in England for training in May 1918 and was defending trenches in Belgium by July.

On October 7, 1918, Sergeant Talley was near Ponchaux, France, and was ordered to silence a German machine gun nest. Several of his fellow soldiers were killed in the attack, leaving Talley to singlehandedly storm the position. While under heavy fire and armed only with his rifle, Talley knocked out the gun and wounded or killed six of its crew. He then halted another machine gun crew who were attempting to establish a second position.

For these actions, Talley was awarded the Medal of Honor, as well as seven foreign medals. Talley married after the war, ran his own general store, and farmed towards the end of his life. He died in 1950 and is buried in Whitesburg.