Joseph Thornton
Home Town: Glencoe, OH
Distinguished Service Cross
World War I
U.S. Army
General Orders No. 37, W.D., 1919
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Joseph Thornton, Private, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Thiaucourt, France, September 12, 1918. By the effective use of an automatic rifle, Private Thornton advanced without aid on the entrenched position of the enemy, forcing their surrender. Despite severe wounds, he continued to advance and assisted in locating and routing other machine-gun nests.