Joseph B. Pate

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Joseph B. Pate, Major, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, France, September 28, 1918. Major pate having been ordered to place his battalion in position to cover a gap in the line, preparatory to leading the assault that day, and having first sent out two patrols which failed to accomplish their mission on account of darkness and heavy enemy fire, did make with only one French interpreter, a personal reconnaissance under heavy machine-gun fire, traversing the whole front of the gap, locating it accurately, and returning with the information necessary for the intelligent issue of orders for the assault.