Alfred S. Griffiths
Home Town: Amityville, Long Island, NY
Distinguished Service Cross
World War I
U.S. Army
General Orders No. 35, W.D., 1919
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Alfred S. Griffiths, Captain, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Ville Savoye, France, August 19, 1918. While suffering from the effects of gas, Captain Griffiths led a liaison patrol to the flanking battalion across an open slope and under direct enemy observation, exposed during the whole journey to terrific artillery and machine-gun fire. He remained on duty as battalion adjutant after all other officers had been evacuated because of the effects of gas, although he had been rendered temporarily speechless and blind by a severe gassing.