Donald J. Mclennan

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Donald J. McLennan, First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near St. Etienne, France, October 8, 1918. Leading a patrol of ten men with orders to gain contact with the enemy, Lieutenant McLennan was suddenly subjected to terrific machine-gun fire which wounded two of his men. He quickly ordered his men to shelter, and in order to insure their safety, he ran across an open space for a distance of 30 yards to draw the enemy’s fire. Rejoining his patrol by passing through the same deadly fire, he ordered them to withdraw, covering their withdrawal, and reporting back to his company commander with his two wounded men and much valuable information.