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 Corporal James Herman Appleton, Jr. (ASN: 38064120), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy while serving with Company 6, 16th Armored Engineer Combat Battalion, 1st Armored Division, in action against the enemy in North Africa. On 5 May 1943, Corporal Appleton as First Aid Man, was attached to a platoon of Engineers of the 16th Armored Engineer Combat Battalion, 1st Armored Division, who were constructing a road through an olive orchard near ****, Tunisia. While the platoon was subject to a heavy artillery concentration, one of the men was wounded in the head by a shell fragment. Corporal Appleton unhesitatingly left his place of shelter and ran to the wounded soldier to administer first aid. He had just finished when the artillery concentration increased in intensity. Corporal Appleton heard the shells coming, but, noticing that the dazed soldier was trying to rise, he pushed him to the ground and then threw himself on top of the wounded soldier to protect him from further injury. One of the shells exploded within a few feet of the two men, fatally wounding Corporal Appleton. His daring and heroic actions in refusing to seek cover for himself and in deliberately sacrificing his own life, saved the life of his wounded comrade. The unusual courage, self-sacrifice and devotion to duty with complete disregard for his own safety displayed by Corporal Appleton reflect the finest traditions of the Armed Forces and are deserving of the highest praise.