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 David Thomas (ASN: 155864), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company A, 1st Engineers, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, northwest of Verdun, France, 9 October 1918. Upon two occasions Corporal Thomas, upon his own initiative, went out in advance of his platoon, armed only with a rifle, and attacked machine-guns which were endangering his company by enfilading fire. In the face of fire from these guns he continued to fire on them until he had killed the gunners.