Henry S. Lawrence

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Henry S. Lawrence, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Baslieux, France, September 5, 1918. When the advance of the platoon commanded by him was held up by machine-gun fire from the front and flanks, Sergeant Lawrence took a rifle and bayonet and, accompanied by another soldier, crawled under the enemy wire in the face of severe fire, drove off the crews of several enemy machine guns and returned with two prisoners, thereby enabling his platoon to rush on. Subsequently under heavy machine-gun and sniper fire, he went along the line of his gun emplacements cheering and encouraging his men, his fearlessness affording an inspiration to them throughout the engagement.