Thomas A. O’Brien
Home Town: Philadelphia, PA
Distinguished Service Cross
World War I
U.S. Army
General Orders No. 46, W.D., 1919
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Thomas A. O’Brien, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action east of St. Juvin, France, October 16, 1918. Sergeant O’Brien assumed command of his platoon and successfully led it forward until it was held up by severe enemy machine-gun fire. He then went forward himself and silenced the hostile machine gun with hand grenades, being wounded in the performance of this gallant act.