William O. Coleman

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to William O. Coleman, First Lieutenant (Cavalry), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Soissons, France, July 20, 1918. His liaison group having suffered many casualties, Lieutenant Coleman exposed himself to heavy fire on two different occasions in traversing the front line of the 18th Infantry during the attack. He returned each time with valuable information. Later, while on a mission to the front line, he was severely wounded, which necessitated the amputation of his left arm. Previously at Seicheprey, France, March 1, 1918, while on a mission to obtain identifications of enemy participants in a raid, he went out in advance of our lines, under heavy enemy fire, to assist in the capture of an enemy raider.