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 Corporal William Amel Stapleton (ASN: 581321), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company I, 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Soissons, France, 19 July 1918. With the aid of two men Corporal Stapleton charged and captured a German machine-gun.