John H. Gardner

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to John H. Gardner, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Brancourt, France, October 8, 1918. After his company commander had been wounded immediately before an attack, Sergeant Gardner took command of the company and led it throughout the action. When his company was held up by machine-gun fire, he went forward and killed four German machine-gunners, thereby enabling his company to continue the advance. On another occasion he picked up the rifle of a wounded soldier and killed three of the enemy. Later, when his company was almost surrounded by hostile machine gunners, under his cool direction his men fought their way out, reached their objective, and consolidated the position.