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 Sam Saplio (ASN: 1244810), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company G, 111th Infantry Regiment, 28th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Fismette, France, August 10 – 12, 1918. Without fear or thought for his personal safety, Private Saplio sought out enemy snipers posted in trees and killed a number of them. Later, with Sergeant John W. Thompson, he attacked an enemy machine-gun nest, killed the crew, and turned the gun on the enemy, operating it with deadly effect on the infantry and machine-gun positions, killing the gun crews and capturing ten machine-guns.