Charles M. Ford

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Charles M. Ford, Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near St. Etienne, France, October 9, 1918. After all the officers of his company had been killed or wounded, Lieutenant Ford took command of the company and, with about twenty-four men, advanced beyond the main line, over extremely difficult ground, capturing twenty-four enemy machine guns. Lieutenant Ford established his men in a good position, practically isolated from the rest of the line, and manning the captured guns, held the position under heavy machine-gun and shell fire for about sixty hours.