The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Edmund P. Groh, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism while serving as a Corpsman attached to the 80th Company, Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in action near Vierzy, France, on 19 July 1918. Pharmacists’ Mate Third Class Groh showed great courage in dressing the wounded in an open field, continuing on duty after being wounded. He refused to be evacuated until he had completely dressed all wounded brought to him. On 15 September 1918, near Thiaucourt, France, he displayed remarkable devotion to duty while giving first aid to wounded in the face of machine-gun fire. Only after being wounded himself did he leave the exposed area, and then he went to the aid of a severely wounded man.



