Percy A. Rideout

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Percy A. Rideout, First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action at Cierges, France, October 4, 1918. First Lieutenant Rideout made an extended reconnaissance in advance of the outposts, fearlessly exposed himself to enemy machine-gun fire, and was several times knocked down by exploding shells. The information he secured was valuable to the infantry, giving them knowledge of the exact location of machine-gun nests. During the action this officer directed the laying of the smoke barrage from an exposed position, remaining at his station throughout the operation, in spite of severe shell and machine-gun fire, and continuing to display the highest courage until he was killed by shell fire.