John F. Pahlke

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to John F. Pahlke, Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Eclisfontaine, France, September 27, 1918. Lieutenant Pahlke, with Sergeant Lamar black, asked for and received permission to go forward and rout out some enemy snipers who were annoying the company. After moving forward around the enemy’s flank and killing the snipers, they decided to flank some enemy machine gunners who wee holding up the advance of the regiment. Upon reaching the enemy machine-gun line they captured the flank gun with its crew. The prisoners were then made to direct them to the next gun. This was repeated, gun after gun, until more than 80 prisoners were captured with their guns. After turning their prisoners over to an officer of their regiment, both Lieutenant Pahlke and Sergeant Black turned some of the enemy guns on the retreating enemy. The success attained by Lieutenant Pahlke and his companion by their remarkable feat, was so great as to demoralize completely the enemy resistance and made it possible for the regiment to resume the advance with but little opposition.