James A. Lee
Distinguished Service Cross
U.S. Army
World War I
General Orders No. No. 39, W.D., 1920
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to James A. Lee, Private, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action at St. Souplet, France, October 18, 1918. The advance of his organization having been temporarily halted by machine-gun fire from a fortified house, Private Lee went forward as a scout to locate the entrance to the house. After discovering the entrance, he led a detachment in an assault, and at the point of the bayonet compelled about 35 of the enemy to surrender. A few minutes later, while advancing alone toward an outhouse, he effected the capture of more of the enemy.