Russell A. Schmidt

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Russell A. Schmidt, Captain, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Cumieres, France, October 8, 1918. With a detail of five men, Captain Schmidt was engaged in attempting to lay a telephone line across the Meuse River, when they were discovered and attacked by a superior force of the enemy. Even after being wounded three times, Captain Schmidt continued the unequal struggle, killing one and wounding three of the enemy, until all his ammunition was exhausted and all of his men severely wounded. Believing himself to be mortally wounded, he advanced into the enemy’s lines and gave himself up, in order to save the lives of his men. He was recaptured by our forces later in the day.