Oscar W. Peterson

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Oscar W. Peterson, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Courchamps, France, July 19, 1918. Discovering the enemy making a counterattack to the left flank of his platoon, Sergeant Peterson immediately organized a combat group of 25 men, and though greatly outnumbered by the Germans he succeeded in routing them, inspiring his men by his disregard of personal danger. He was severely wounded later in the day, but he refused to go to the rear until he had reorganized his platoon an hour and a half later.