William Holz

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to William Holz, First Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action south of Soissons, France, July 18 & 19, 1918. Sergeant Holz exposed himself to heavy enemy fire reorganizing a platoon of his company and in leading it forward in the attack. He was wounded by a fragment of a high-explosive shell the following day while again leading his platoon in the attack. Although directed for evacuation to the hospital he refused to go, and gathered together a small group of stragglers and led them forward to the attacking line. Later he was forced to go to the rear on account of weakness from loss of blood.