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 Wayne Orvil Reynolds (ASN: 38152681), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Cannon Company, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division, in action against the enemy at Aix, France, on 21 August 1944. At 0700 hours, during an attack on Aix-on Provence, France, Sergeant Reynolds braved anti-tank, machine gun and small arms fire from a Germany roadblock to extricate a hard-pressed rifle company from an untenable position. When the Infantry company to which his platoon of 75 millimeter self-propelled howitzers was attached encountered withering anti-tank and automatic weapons fire which caused eighteen casualties, Sergeant Reynolds climbed on top of his vehicle and directed .50 caliber machinegun fire against the enemy. Although the Germans shifted their fire from the infantry to Sergeant Reynolds and his M-8 self-propelled howitzer, he continued to engage the foe, knocking out the anti-tank gun and killing both its two-man crew and a nearby German officer. Disregarding bullets which struck the M-8 turret, nicked the machine gun he was firing and wounded the gun corporal standing beside him, Sergeant Reynolds courageously remained at his post to engage and destroy the enemy machine gun, its gunner and assistant gunner. His machine gun ammunition spent, and his 75 millimeter gunner a casualty, Sergeant Reynolds assumed a kneeling position on top of the turret and shouted fire orders to the two other M-8s in his platoon, which mean while had approached to within hailing distance. He directed deadly howitzer fire against the prime mover ammunition carrier of the German anti-tank gun, setting it ablaze, and then turned his attention to an enemy self-propelled .88, forcing it to withdraw. As the enemy infantry retreated from the roadblock, Sergeant Reynolds directed additional fire on the fleeing Germans, killing six and wounding others. His outstanding heroism resulted in killing at least eleven of the enemy, smashing a formidable roadblock and enabling the Infantry to seize Aix-en-Provence. Staff Sergeant Reynolds’ 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, the 3d Infantry Division, and the United States Army.