James J. Roach

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to James J. Roach, First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Cunel, France, October 4, 1918. As Lieutenant Roach and an infantry captain were making a reconnaissance under enemy fire both of them were wounded by machine-gun bullets. Disregarding his own wound, Lieutenant Roach secured assistance for his wounded companion and then organized his platoon and the infantrymen nearby for an expected hostile counterattack. After seeing that all his guns were in position and his men under cover from the increasing enemy fire, though he was weak from loss of blood, he assisted in carrying the wounded captain to the aid station.