The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Hospital Apprentice First Class James Eugene Manning, United States Navy, for distinguished and heroic service while serving as a Corpsman attached to the First Battalion, Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces In the action against the enemy near Thiaucourt, France, on 15 September 1918, while attending to a wounded man the dressing station was hit with a shell and the patient was wounded in two more places. Showing great devotion, Hospital Apprentice First Class Manning dressed the new wounds, and while doing so was struck in the back and knocked down by the explosion of another shell striking the aid station. He refused to leave his post until he had finished dressing the wounded man and had removed him from the aid station, which was completely gutted a minute later by another shell. During the entire action Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Manning was conspicuous for his courage and promptness in the care of the wounded.




