Charles O’Brien

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Charles O’Brien, First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Le Cendriere Woods, near the Aisne Canal, September 6, 1918. Lieutenant O’Brien led his platoon forward toward the Le Cendriere woods under heavy shell fire. When wounded in the left leg, one of his men urged him to stop and have the wound dressed. He answered, “Never mind that; they can’t stop us,” and led his platoon through the woods to the bank of the Aisne Canal, where, while placing his men in position, he was struck again and killed. His dauntless courage presented an inspiring example to the men of his platoon.