Emil Carlson

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Emil Carlson, Private First Class, U.S. Army, for repeated acts of extraordinary heroism in action near Cierges, France, August 1, 1918; and near Gesnes, France, October 14, 1918. During an attack near Cierges, Private Carlson, assisted by two comrades, repeatedly exposed himself to enemy machine-gun and artillery fire, in order to assist the wounded to the first-aid station. On October 14, in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, when the advance of his company was held up by enemy machine-gun fire, he advanced in attacking a machine-gun nest, until all the members of the squad were killed except himself. He then pushed on alone and killed one of the enemy. His rifle becoming jammed and useless, he continued to advance and succeeded in capturing the two guns, together with the crew, consisting of eight men.