Santo J. Disalvo

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Santo J. DiSalvo, Private First Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company G, 143d Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on 18 December 1944. When his squad was pinned down by heavy enemy fire, Private First Class DiSalvo, by rising, drew all enemy fire upon himself, enabling his men to withdraw to cover. Then, although a target for enemy machinegun fire, he single-handedly captured the enemy emplacement.