William F. Lee

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to William F. Lee, Major, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action at Cheveuges, France, November 7, 1918. While his battalion was engaged with the enemy on the heights near Sedan Major Lee left his advance command post, went forward in the face of heavy enemy machine-gun and artillery fire, where he personally supervised the successful reduction of enemy machine-gun positions and strong points. Later in the engagement, when his battalion was under a heavy frontal and flanking fire of machine guns, rifles, and direct artillery fire from high ground, he again left his advance command post, and with the utmost disregard for his personal safety advanced into the assault waves, traversed them, encouraging his men, and assisted the company officers in bringing such effective fire upon the enemy as to enable the battalion to advance upon their objective in the minimum time and with the least possible loss of life. His gallant and courageous conduct was an inspiration to his command in in a large measure responsible for the success of the 28th Infantry in the operations against Sedan.