Jesse W. Pratt

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Jesse W. Pratt, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Cierges, France, October 11 and 24, 1918. Though his platoon had been reduced by casualties to only three squads, Sergeant Pratt led it to the objective and despite an intense artillery and machine-gun barrage, succeeded in capturing a machine-gun nest, which was enfilading his flank, killing the entire crew. On October 24, after all the officers of his battalion had become casualties, Sergeant Pratt assumed command and by daring leadership pushed forward the attack, successfully consolidating the captured position and holding it against repeated hostile counterattacks.