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 Private Earl D. Norton (ASN: 293917), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company H, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Vaux, France, 1 July 1918. While Private Norton, an automatic rifle gunner, was advancing during the attack, a shell fragment struck a bag of hand grenades which he was carrying on his hip, resulting in an explosion which shattered his left leg. Despite this severe wound, he crawled forward toward a shell hole, where the remainder of his squad had taken refuge and, with his remaining strength, threw his automatic rifle to the men in the shell hole. His injuries necessitated the amputation of his leg.