John D. Cosgrove

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to John D. Cosgrove, Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Charpentry, France, September 26 – 27, 1918. As battalion intelligence officer, Second Lieutenant Cosgrove repeatedly went in front of his own and adjoining battalions to secure information which he conveyed to regimental headquarters over fields swept by artillery and machine-gun fire. When the advance of his battalion was checked by destructive hostile fire, this officer, disregarding personal danger, conducted a personal reconnaissance, locating many machine guns and strongholds. He was killed while voluntarily leading and placing troops in advantageous positions to reduce these machine-gun nests.