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 Howard Richard Suplee (ASN: 3111260), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company I, 316th Infantry Regiment, 79th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, north of Verdun, France, at Hill 378, Grande Montagne sector, 5 November 1918. The 316th Infantry, depleted in strength and numbers, attacked from the crest of Hill 378, advancing over the exposed northern slope in the face of terrific machine-gun and artillery fire. Halfway down the slope the thin line was held up by a rain of machine-gun fire from the road leading eastwardly through the Bois-de-la-Grande Montagne to Reville. Private Suplee offered to subdue the fire, and while advancing single-handed to the accomplishment of his mission received a wound from which he died a short while later.