Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Distinguished Service Cross

    Service:

    United States Army

    Rank:

    Private

    Regiment:

    354th Infantry Regiment

    Division:

    89th Division, American Expeditionary Forces

    Action Date:

    November 1, 1918

    War Department, General Orders 89 (1919)

    The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Private Fred Sherry Smith (ASN: 2212976), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Machine-Gun Company, 354th Infantry Regiment, 89th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Remonville, France, 1 November 1918. Private Smith was a member of a machine-gun crew, firing at close range from a shell hole in an open field when their gun became disabled. Thereupon he and two other soldiers advanced with pistols upon the enemy machine-gun nest, at which they had been firing, and captured it, with three guns and nine prisoners. Putting one of the captured guns into immediate action against the enemy, they enabled the infantry to advance with a minimum of casualties. This soldier was killed next day when he went out from cover to warn some comrades that they were in the line of fire from his gun.