Fred V. Ballestero

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Fred V. Ballestero, Private, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Very, France, September 26, 1918. At the very outset of the action, Private Ballestero took six prisoners single handed and under fire. After his company had been stopped by heavy firing, he and another soldier went ahead on a reconnaissance mission and encountered heavy machine-gun fire. Sending his companion back with information and for help, he alone pressed on, capturing a machine-gun and its entire crew.