Francis T. Copeland

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Francis T. Copeland, Mechanic, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Ronssoy, France, September 29, 1918. Mechanic Copeland, with a companion, left the protection of a trench, and in the face of heavy machine-gun and grenade fire went in advance of our lines to rescue a wounded comrade. They were exposed to heavy fire from the time they left the trench. Mechanic Copeland’s companion was killed as they were returning to the trench, but he, however, struggled on and succeeded in dragging the wounded man to safety.