Fred Otte

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Fred Otte, Private, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action at Fismes and Fismette, France, August 9 – 13, 1918. For four days, during the most intense fighting, Private Otte acted as runner between his battalion headquarters at Fismes and troops in Fismette. He made many trips across the Vesle River under heavy shell and machine-gun fire, and when the bridge had been destroyed he continued his trips by swimming the river, which contained wire entanglements.