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 First Lieutenant (Infantry) Thomas W. Kearns, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 47th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Sergy, France, July 29 – 30, 1918. When a counterattack was impending, First Lieutenant Kearns successively carried 15 wounded men across a shell-swept area, in full view of the enemy, taking them to a place of safety and preventing them from being captured by the enemy. Later he reorganized groups of stragglers and led them into combat.