Winfield F. Shahan

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Winfield F. Shahan, Corporal, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, September 26 – 28, 1918, and near Exermont, France, September 29, 1918. Corporal Shahan, regimental liaison noncommissioned officer, with great courage constantly exposed himself to heavy enemy machine-gun and shell fire for three days in maintaining liaison between his regimental headquarters and the companies in the front line. On September 29, he attacked, single-handed, an enemy machine-gun nest, killing several of the enemy and taking one prisoner. While making his way back to his lines, he was fired upon by another German machine-gun, which wounded him in the right arm, and was at the same time attacked by his prisoner. In spite of his wound, he killed the German with his pistol, and reached his lines in safety.