Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Distinguished Service Cross

    Service:

    United States Army

    Rank:

    Private

    Batallion:

    2d Machine-Gun Battalion

    Division:

    1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces

    Action Date:

    October 5, 1918

    War Department, General Orders No. 44 (1919)

    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 Private Charles A. McCarthy (ASN: 105474), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company B, 2d Machine-Gun Battalion, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Fleville, France, 5 October 1918. With the assistance of one other soldier, Private McCarthy entered a wood where three machine guns were holding up our attack and, under unusually heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, knocked one of the guns out and rushed the second single-handed. With the assistance of the other soldier, he then succeeded in capturing about 20 prisoners who were in or near the machine-gun nest.