Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Distinguished Service Cross

    Service:

    United States Army

    Rank:

    Second Lieutenant (Infantry)

    Regiment:

    117th Infantry Regiment

    Division:

    30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces

    Action Date:

    October 17, 1918

    War Department, General Orders 64 (1919)

    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 Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Richard H. Boyd, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near La Haie Menneresse, France, 17 October 1918. After his platoon had suffered severe casualties, and his ammunition entirely exhausted, Lieutenant Boyd went about the town under annihilating fire to collect the stragglers. With a few he managed to collect, he attacked and put out of action three enemy machine-gun nests, after which he reported to the front line. Here he voluntarily exposed himself in assisting wounded from the face of murderous fire, and while standing in full view of the enemy, directing his men to seek shelter, he was killed by a shell explosion.