Maurice Stanley Ricker

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Maurice Stanley Ricker, First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Brieulles, France, November 4, 1918. In covering the right flank of his company Lieutenant Ricker led his platoon across a pontoon bridge which was broken by artillery fire before the entire command had crossed. Without hesitation he proceeded to lead his men under direct machine-gun and minenwerfer fire, routing a large detachment of the enemy, capturing eight Germans, five machine-guns, and two minenwerfers, and successfully covering the crossing of the remainder of the company.