Earl D. Norton

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Earl D. Norton, Private, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Vaux, France, July 1, 1918. While Private Norton, an automatic rifle gunner, was advancing during the attack, a shell fragment struck a bag of hand grenades which he was carrying on his hip, resulting in an explosion which shattered his left leg. Despite this severe wound, he crawled forward toward a shell hole, where the remainder of his squad had taken refuge and, with his remaining strength, threw his automatic rifle to the men in the shell hole. His injuries necessitated the amputation of his leg.