Paul H. Smart

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Paul H. Smart, Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action during the attack on Marcheville-en-Woevre, France, September 26, 1918. Lieutenant Smart volunteered to run back with a message to the rear through a dense enemy concentration of high-explosive shell and gas, after all of the Infantry and Artillery runners had been either killed or wounded in attempting this same mission. Lieutenant Smark was acting as Artillery liaison officer with the attacking units of the 102d Infantry. When the Infantry still met enemy resistance at Marcheville and all communications to the rear had been cut by the heavy enemy barrage laid down in rear of the attacking force, Lieutenant Smart, at the risk of his own life, ran through the barrage to a forward telephone station, communicated the situation to the Artillery commander and then ran back through the same barrage and rejoined and remained with the Infantry commander.