James E. Durham

By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), Sergeant James E. Durham (ASN: 106355), United States Army, is cited by the Commanding General, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. Sergeant Durham distinguished himself by gallantry in action while serving with Company D, 3d Machine-Gun Battalion, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in action near Very, France, 9 October 1918, in reorganizing his company under violent enemy fire.

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to James E. Durham, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Ploisy, France, July 19, 1918. When the officer commanding his machine-gun platoon had been wounded, Sergeant Durham took command of the platoon and the adjacent Infantry, whose officers had become casualties, displaying extraordinary heroism in leading both to attack the enemy artillery while subject to direct fire from their guns. By his conspicuous coolness and unfaltering courage at a very critical time, he inspired great confidence in the men under his control, while consolidating the positions at the final objective.