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 Robert Marvin Thornton (ASN: 97692), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company I, 167th Infantry Regiment, 42d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, northeast of Chateau-Thierry, France, 26 July 1918. After being wounded, Corporal Thornton remained in command of his squad and continued to direct the fire of their two automatic rifles for more than two hours and until he had been wounded three more times.