Charles B. Lawton

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Charles B. Lawton, First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Exermont, France, October 4, 1918. Company M, 28th Infantry, under command of Lieutenant Lawton, while in advance against the enemy’s position was topped by a heavy concentration of machine-gun fire. Lieutenant Lawton, the only officer present, took four men and fearlessly went forward of his company’s front line, passing through the enemy fire, and entered a wood which formed the enemy’s front line. Discovering a series of five hostile machine-gun positions he promptly led a rush upon them, overcoming and subduing the three center positions. Dividing his party, he, with one man, rushed the fifth position, capturing it together with several prisoners, while the remaining members of his party rushed the other positions successfully. While returning to his own lines with the prisoners, Lieutenant Lawton was severely wounded. This extraordinary gallantry enabled the company to continue its advance.