James J. Roos

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to James J. Roos, First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near St. Souplet, France, October 17, 1918. During the fording of the La Selle River, Lieutenant Roos made personal reconnaissances of the territory, under terrific machine-gun fire, before leading his men in attack. Advancing to a farm which was strongly fortified by the enemy, he scattered his men about the buildings from which a deadly fire was pouring, and, advancing alone into the building, captured nearly 200 Germans at the point of his pistol. He was killed in attack the following morning.