Earl W. Lautenslager

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Earl W. Lautenslager, Private, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action east of Ronssoy, France, September 29, 1918. During the operations against the Hindenburg line, when his company was held up by an enemy machine-gun nest, he volunteered to cross an open field in front of his company in order to ascertain the exact location of the enemy’s position. While engaged in this enterprise he was killed by a bursting shell. His heroic self-sacrifice was a splendid example to the men of his company.