Cecil G. Whitcomb

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Cecil G. Whitcomb, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Montfaucon, France, September 26 – 28, 1918. Attached to the regimental intelligence section of the 145th Infantry, Sergeant Whitcomb, with several men of his section, accompanied the first attacking wave of the regiment on September 26. Losing contact temporarily with the assaulting wave on account of a smoke barrage, he halted momentarily and upon resuming the advance encountered enemy machine-gun and sniper fire near a swale in the Bois-de-Montfaucon. Leaving his men in a place of safety, Sergeant Whitcomb discovered an enemy machine-gun nest which covered a bridge across the swale. He captured several unarmed enemy soldiers and an officer; the latter he forced to return to the machine-gun nest and to deliver to him the gun crews, a number of men, as well as several enemy snipers who had been inflicting heavy casualties upon his men; this action permitting the Infantry to advance without further heavy losses.