Hannes Rypkema

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Hannes Rypkema, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near St. Juvin, France, October 14, 1918. Sergeant Rypkema went in advance of his section and, unassisted, captured and sent to the rear 13 German prisoners. With the aid of two infantrymen he later captured 28 more prisoners under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire. When his platoon commander had been killed and more than three- fourths of his platoon had become casualties, he reorganized the remainder of the platoon and continued the attack.