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 [then Private First Class] Roman C. Krol (ASN: 33559504), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy on 5 September 1944, near Ponta Housson, France. As a member of Company I, 3d Battalion, 318th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division, Corporal Krol was performing duty with a patrol which was caught between enemy machine gun crossfire. One of his fellow soldiers was seriously wounded by a barrage of enemy fire and became hysterical. Realizing the immediate danger of the soldier openly exposing himself to the heavy concentrated enemy gunfire, Corporal Krol made an attempt to hold the wounded man to the ground. In accomplishing this action, he himself was wounded in the right arm. Despite this wound, he crawled astride the struggling soldier in an effort to keep him down and free from danger of being more seriously injured. While shielding and protecting the injured man, Corporal Krol received a second wound in the neck. In the face of these two sustained injuries, he continued to shield his fellow soldier and, an instant later, was hit by a 50-mm. mortar shell. The courageous and unselfish devotion and bold heroism displayed by Corporal Krol in risking his life to save that of his comrade is in the most cherished tradition of the United States Army, and reflects the utmost credit upon himself and the military service.