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 Captain (Infantry) Hanon Fields Combs, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company C, 38th Infantry Regiment, 3d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in France against the enemy during the months of July, August, and October, 1918. On 22 July 1918, while at the head of his company, which was advancing in the direction of Le Charmel, Department of Aisne, France, against the enemy, Captain Combs noticed that after passing a certain spot on the road his company was subject to the machine-gun fire of a sniper. Organizing a small party he led them in capturing the machine gun and killing the sniper. On 7 August 1918, at the Vesle River, he personally silenced a machine-gun sniper that had been keeping up a harassing fire on his command. This was done in the face of machine-gun fire. On 9 October 1918, near Cierges, Department of Meuse, Captain combs was wounded in action by shrapnel in the back. He refused to go back to the first-aid station. 22 October 1918, he was killed by a sniper while establishing a new post command.