William E. Hughes

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to William E. Hughes, Private First Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action in the Bultruy Bois, France, October 15, 1918. Though he had been wounded in the leg and ordered to be evacuated, Private Hughes remained with his company in the advance, displaying marked fortitude. Twenty-four hours later his leg had become so stiff that he was compelled to go to the rear. This soldier had previously displayed marked courage by remaining with his automatic rifle under heavy fire, after two members of his squad had become casualties, until he had silenced an enemy machine gun.