William S. Hawkins

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to William S. Hawkins, First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near St. Souplet, France, France, October 17 – 18, 1918. Acting as liaison officer during the forcing of the La Selle River, Lieutenant Hawkins was severely wounded by an exploding shell. Undeterred by the weakened condition to which his wound reduced him, he bravely continued on, working untiringly under heavy shell and machine-gun fire, for two days until the advance of his battalion was checked.