By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), First Lieutenant (Infantry) Newton B. Thomas, United States Army, is cited by the Commanding General, 3d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the World War I Victory Medals awarded him. While serving with the 4th Infantry Regiment, 3d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, on 16 October 1918, after an assault on Hill 299 had failed, leaving the assaulting company in the open under heavy direct machine gun fire, Lieutenant Thomas displayed exceptional courage and leadership when, after he reorganized the position of his company, his patrols having failed to obtain liaison with the unit on his left, he, himself, located this unit and, finding this company without any officers, reorganized and took command of it as well as his own company, despite the fact that all the while he was exposed to direct machine gun fire from a distance of less than 200 yards.