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 Second Lieutenant (Corps of Engineers) James Stanley Colton, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 116th Engineers, Company F, 107th Engineers (Attached), 32d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Fismes, France, from August 4 – 6, 1918. Second Lieutenant Colton successfully carried out a reconnaissance for the location of possible bridge sites across the River Vesle, near Fismes, France. He was constantly under heavy shell fire, and was frequently harassed by fire from hidden machine-gun nests in the town. Nevertheless, he passed beyond our furthest lines and secured the desired information. He was wounded before his mission was accomplished, but refused to return to his battalion until he had made his reconnaissance and had been relieved by another detail.