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 Corporal James Allen Cresswell (ASN: 61857), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company K, 101st Infantry Regiment, 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, north of Verdun, France, 26 October 1918. In the desperate attacks of the 101st Infantry, Corporal Cresswell captured and held the last height of the Meuse between the 23d and 28th of October, 1918. Corporal Cresswell, having succeeded to the command of his platoon, displayed the utmost bravery and fearlessness in personally leading his platoon in repeated attacks against the enemy, during which he exposed himself with great courage. He proved himself an inspiring and successful leader in all these attacks. On 26 October with utter disregard of danger, he personally led an attack, successfully wiping out a group of four machine-gun nests, thereby clearing dangerous terrain and allowing the unit on his right to successfully proceed with the counterattack. He went without rest and sleep to the point of exhaustion, and his personal valor and bravery gave added impetus to his men, so that under his able leadership all the new objectives during these dates were captured until the platoon itself was relieved on October 29.