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 Captain John T. McNamee, British Expeditionary Forces, for extraordinary heroism in action while attached to the 1st Battalion, 30th Gas Regiment, A.E.F. Volunteering, Captain McNamee led a detachment of Engineers up to the front lines on 30 July 1918, for the purpose of assisting the advance of the infantry with thermite and smoke bombs. That night he led his men through a heavy barrage, exhibiting courage and leadership. For three days and nights he remained with his men in the extreme front line in the Bois Colas, greatly aiding in repulsing enemy counterattacks by laying down barrages of thermite and phosphorus, cleaning out machine-gun nests in the same manner and enabling our infantry to attack behind smoke screens. On August 5 he took another detachment into St. Thibault and brought ammunition into the village before it was occupied by our infantry and while the enemy patrols were still there. The advance of the infantry across the two rivers, the Ourcq and the Vesle, was greatly facilitated and the lives of many of them saved by the smoke screens which Captain McNamee so successfully prepared. Throughout this entire advance across these two rivers he conducted himself with extraordinary heroism, setting an example to the men of the regiment to which he was attached, constantly exposing himself to danger in making reconnaissance and at the same time shielding his men.