Robert E. Backstrom

By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), Sergeant Robert E. Backstrom (ASN: 1386523), United States Army, is cited (Posthumously) by the Commanding General, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. Sergeant Backstrom distinguished himself by gallantry in action while serving with Company B, 131st Infantry Regiment, 33d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in action at Chipilly Ridge, France, 10 August 1918, in voluntarily holding a sunken road against enemy snipers and machine guns.

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Robert E. Backstrom, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action at Chipilly Ridge, France, August 10, 1918. When the outpost along the sunken Bray Corbie Road was reputedly shelled and driven back by snipers, Sergeant Backstrom voluntarily went out alone, with utter disregard for his own safety, and held this position all day under heavy sniper and machine-gun fire and repeated shelling on his position.