Laurence H. Watres

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Laurence H. Watres, Captain, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Baslieux, France, September 5, 1918. Under heavy enemy machine-gun fire, Captain Watres took command of Company D, 109th Infantry, which was without officers and was greatly disorganized in a position to his rear. He led the company, together with some of his own men to the attack, killing a number of the enemy, taking others prisoners, and capturing several machine gun nests.