John F. Scott

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to John F. Scott, First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action at St. Souplet, France, October 11, 1918. Discovering that the right flank of his battalion was exposed and unprotected, Lieutenant Scott, with utter disregard of his own danger, made a personal reconnaissance of the exposed flank under heavy enemy fire. Returning to his company he reported the situation to his company commander and was given two small platoons to form a flank guard. Under withering machine-gun fire of the enemy, Lieutenant Scott successfully organized his position and by his fearlessness and indomitable courage so inspired his men that they held their ground, thus preventing a break-through that might have been fatal to his regiment.