The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major General Geoffrey Keyes (ASN: 0-3561), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility. As Commanding General of the Provisional Corps, SEVENTH Army, organized 17 July 1943, in Sicily, consisting of a small improvised staff; the 2d Armored and 3d Infantry Divisions; a composite division formed from those elements of the 82d Airborne Division in Sicily; the 39th Regimental Combat Team; divisional artillery of the 9th Infantry Division; 3 Ranger Battalions; and certain Corps artillery units, General Keyes maneuvered and fought this organization from Agrigento to Palermo over distances varying from 90 to 125 miles, and in one continuous and unrelenting offensive of five days’ duration successfully terminated the operation by capturing the key city of Palermo. In the conduct of this operation, General Keyes demonstrated tactical judgment, courage and drive of a most superior type, and by his continued personal contact with the front line unit commanders, contributed immeasurably to the remarkable success of his own Corps and of the SEVENTH Army as a whole.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Lieutenant General Geoffrey Keyes (ASN: 0-3561), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States as Commanding General, II Corps, for the period 1 December 1944 to 2 May 1945 in Italy. General Keyes’ corps had completed a most strenuous campaign which had resulted in its breaking of the German Gothic Line in Italy and was faced with the probability of playing a major role in the conquest of the Apennine Mountains and pursuit of the enemy into the Po Valley. Fully realizing the magnitude of the job to be accomplished in overcoming exceedingly well-prepared fortifications as well as mountainous terrain, General Keyes set about the re-equipping, training and preparing of his corps for the offensive action required. Throughout the winter months he worked tirelessly so that II Corps would be prepared at the appropriate time to drive the German forces into the open and destroy them. General Keyes’ plan for the preparation of II Corps was so excellently conceived and carried out that when his troops took the offensive on the night of 15 – 16 April 1945 they pressed forward aggressively, smashing holes into the enemy’s defenses despite fanatical resistance. As a result of his rapid shifting of his troops to take full advantage of every opportunity, his corps broke through the Apennines with a minimum of losses and in readiness for a decisive thrust across the Po Valley. During General Keyes’ pursuit of the enemy in the Po Valley he boldly committed elements of his corps, seizing critical objectives with such rapidity that the bewildered enemy was powerless to stem his attack. His troops crossed in rapid succession the Po, Adige and Brenta Rivers and were only halted by the unconditional surrender of the thoroughly beaten, demoralized and nearly annihilated enemy forces on 2 May 1945. The outstanding leadership of General Keyes was a prime factor in the crushing defeat of the enemy forces in Italy.