Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Samuel J. Ervin, Jr., Private, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Soissons, France, July 18, 1918. During the attack when the leaders of the other two platoons of his company had become casualties, Private Ervin displayed marked courage and leadership in assisting his platoon commander in reorganizing those platoons and in fearlessly leading one of the platoons through heavy enemy artillery and machine-gun fire to the capture of the objective. Upon arriving at the objective they were swept by terrific fire from an enemy machine-gun nest which inflicted heavy casualties. Private Ervin called for volunteers and led them in the face of direct fire in a charge upon the machine-gun nest until he fell severely wounded in front of the gun pit; but two members of the party reached the machine gun, killed the crew, and seized the gun. After being wounded he crawled back to the firing line and organized an automatic-rifle post and refused to be evacuated until danger of counterattack had passed. Private Ervin’s gallant conduct in this action exemplified exceptional courage and leadership and was an inspiration to his comrades.