By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), Sergeant William I. McNall (ASN: 553529), 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. Sergeant McNall was serving with Company A, 8th Machine Gun Battalion, 3d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, when on the afternoon of 22 July 1918, the infantry attack was held up in the woods north of Charteves and machine guns were sent in to strengthen the line. Sergeant McNall placed his two guns in support of the 2d Battalion, 7th Infantry. He himself went forward to locate an enemy sniper. On his return he found that the infantry battalion had withdrawn and that his gun positions were exposed to machine gun fire at close range. He kept his guns in position, personally reconnoitered to the left a distance of more than two kilometers until he established liaison with the 156th Regiment (French) which supported him with one company. He remained in position during the night and rejoined the infantry upon their advance the following day.