William Thomas

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to William Thomas, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Chevieres, France, October 13, 1918. Sergeant Thomas accompanied an officer on a reconnaissance, searching for possible locations for crossing the Aire River. They crossed open ground subject to shell fire and under direct observation of the enemy. On reaching the river they were exposed to machine-gun and snipers’ fire. Both he and the officer failed to return, and their bodies were afterwards discovered in the Aire River, where they had fallen later, being killed or wounded by enemy fire.