By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), Sergeant Archie S. Sproul (ASN: 555347), Private First Class Frank Ciaramella (ASN: 555369), Private First Class Martin E. Dixon (ASN: 555376), Private First Class Howard McCullough (ASN: 555408), Private First Class John J. Dodd (ASN: 555377), and Private Dozilva Mercier (ASN: 555411), United States Army, are 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 them. While serving with Company D, 9th Machine Gun Battalion, 3d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, these men during the barrage of 14 – 15 July 1918, which preceded the enemy’s attack at Fossoy, France, displayed great courage in advancing with their machine guns to their forward positions and holding the enemy in check, despite the fact that their situation was an extremely critical one.