Fred W. Sladen

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Fred W. Sladen, Brigadier General, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Ferme de la Madelaine, France, October 14, 1918. Although almost exhausted from 48 hours of continuous duty, without rest of any kind, General Sladen, upon learning that the front line was held up by enemy machine-gun fire, proceeded to the advanced position through three kilometers of severe artillery fire. Upon arrival, he found that the battalion commander had been killed and the units badly disorganized and intermingled. He personally reorganized the troops under the terrific machine-gun and shell fire, reconnoitered the enemy’s positions, and launched the advance anew. While engaged in this perilous mission he fainted from exhaustion, but, upon being revived, refused to be evacuated and continued in the work of reorganizing and stabilizing the line at this critical period. Due to his efforts the action was carried to a successful conclusion in the face of apparently insurmountable difficulties.