Edward M. Kessler

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Edward M. Kessler, Corporal, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Flirey, France, September 12, 1918. When his platoon was held up by heavy machine-gun fire in front of the Bois-de-Mort Mare, Corporal Kessler advanced with his squad and succeeded in putting the machine guns out of action without losing a man. Farther on in the woods, two more machine guns were encountered, firing from a dugout. This soldier went out alone and silenced the guns with hand grenades, thereby facilitating the advance of the entire company.