Earnest E. Ely

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Earnest E. Ely, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action in the Aire Valley, France, September 26 and October 12, 1918. Sergeant Ely worked for five days and nights under intense shell fire to establish signal communications. While engaged in this work he was gassed and carried to a dressing station unconscious. On regaining consciousness he escaped from the dressing station, returned to his post, and continued to work for 12 hours more until he was gassed for a second time.