William H. Mayo
Home Town: St. Albans, VT
Distinguished Service Cross
World War I
U.S. Army
General Orders No. No. 3, W.D., 1935
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to William H. Mayo, Mechanic, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Belleau and Givry, France, July 18, 1918. Mechanic Mayo volunteered for duty as runner and while delivering a message to a gun commander whose squad was subject to a terrific artillery and machine-gun barrage, a shell burst, killing or wounding all but two of the squad. Salvaging the essential parts of the gun, Mechanic Mayo asked for and was given permission to join the depleted squad. He remained with it until the objective was reached, when he rejoined his platoon commander as a runner.