John Kelly

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to John Kelly, Private, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Bois-de-Barricourt, France, November 2, 1918. With his machine-gun section, Private Kelly was sent to an advanced position, where they were subjected to fire from numerous enemy snipers and machine-gun positions, and were also mistaken for the enemy by our own infantry. After the section lieutenant was wounded he directed the sergeant to signal their identity to the infantry, and, overhearing the order, Private Kelly rose on the edge of the shell hole to-send the message, but was met by bursts of automatic rifle fire. In order to save his comrades from the danger of this fire, he ran down the hill to our own lines, convinced the infantry of the identity of the troops ahead, and then returned to his section.