John H. Leavell

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to John H. Leavell, Captain, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action at Audenarde, Belgium, November 1, 1918. Captain Leavell led a patrol of four men on a reconnaissance of the city of Audenarde at a time when it was still occupied by enemy patrols and snipers, obtaining important data on destroyed bridges and locating materials necessary in repairing them. While on this errand Captain Leavell and his men encountered a German patrol three times their number and in the combat which followed several of the enemy were killed or wounded and a spy was captured.