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 Staff Sergeant [then Corporal] Royce C. Davis (ASN: 38036625), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 143d Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces near Paestun, Italy, on 9 September 1943. When his squad was pinned down by heavy enemy fire, Staff Sergeant Davis left his squad and began maneuvering to local the German position. Crawling for several hundred yards, he came to a point where he saw a German tank hidden in the bushes. Worming his way to within 10 yards of the tank, he fired his grenade launcher at the track. The projectile burst a hole in the side of the tank and knocked the track off. After waiting a moment to see whether anyone moved, Staff Sergeant Davis crawled up and pushed a grenade through the hole he had made. Then, observing an enemy mortar firing on our troops, he advanced through the brush to a vantage point and fired into the enemy position with his grenade launcher. Several Germans were wounded, and the others came out of their holes to surrender. Staff Sergeant Davis’ extraordinary heroism, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.