Charles L. Mclain

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Charles L. McLain, Captain, U.S. Army, for repeated acts of extraordinary heroism in action on the Marne River, France, July 15, 1918, and at Apremont, France, September 29, 1918. Captain McLain was an observer with the French when the enemy attack on the Marne River was started July 15, 1918. All the officers of an infantry company having been killed or wounded, he voluntarily reorganized the remainder of the company and successfully fought his way through the enemy, upon two occasions being surrounded. In this operation he was badly gassed. At Apremont, September 29, when his own company had reached its objective, Captain McLain, finding that another company was without officers, voluntarily assumed command of it and led the first waste. In so doing Captain McLain was wounded, but he continued in action until the objective was reached.