Avery D. Cummings

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Avery D. Cummings, Colonel, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Gesnes, France, September 29, 1918. During the attack on Gesnes Colonel Cummings, then a lieutenant colonel, in addition to performing his regular duties as brigade adjutant, 181st Brigade, went forward with the front line of attack, directing the organization and outposting of the front line after Gesnes and the army objective beyond it had been captured. All of the senior officers of the assaulting regiment having been killed or wounded in the attack on Gesnes, he unhesitatingly organized the scattered elements of the regiment and pushed the attack home to final success.