The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Private First Class [then Private] Joe Flem Tinsley (ASN: 34778869), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 133d Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces in the vicinity of Mount Maggiore, Italy, on 12 July 1944. While preparing to launch an attack, an infantry company was subjected to a heavy enemy artillery barrage, followed by a German attack in company strength. One platoon received heavy fire from two enemy machine guns and, moving to a position of defilade, came within the field of fire from three additional machine guns. Private First Class Tinsley and four other soldiers started to crawl to the aid of their assistant squad leader who was engaging the enemy with his rifle. He and his companions became pinned down by heavy fire from the enemy machine guns, but Private First Class Tinsley continued to crawl forward. Reaching a point behind some rocks approximately forty yards from the nearest enemy position, Private First Class Tinsley fired a rifle grenade into the nest, killing the occupants. In the face of heavy small arms and machine gun fire, he continued to crawl over rocks and through depressions in the ground to reach the nest he had just neutralized. He opened fire with the German machine gun on another enemy nest, killed two crew members and forced a third to withdraw. Firing on a third enemy position, he compelled the crew members to abandon their weapon and run. Private First Class Tinsley’s heroic performance facilitated his company’s advance, and his courage and combat skill are exemplary of the highest traditions of the Army of the United States.