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) Paul J. Sykes, 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 as Battalion Adjutant with the 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, on 26 July 1918, in the attack on Le Charmel, France, during the Aisne-Marne Offensive, Lieutenant Sykes took command of troops disorganized by intense shell fire and successfully led them in the attack, displaying coolness, disregard for personal safety, and leadership which was a great source of courage and inspiration to the men. After the capture of Le Charmel, he displayed initiative and leadership in the reorganizing of intermingled units, and a perfect grasp of the military situation in the disposition of his outposts, and the preparation of his positions for defense.

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) Paul J. Sykes, 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 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, on 22 July 1918, at Tulerie Farm, France, Lieutenant Sykes exhibited extreme coolness and disregard of danger in patrolling an open field under heavy machine gun fire, bringing in several prisoners. Later he assembled the scattered units of his Battalion and formed an outpost near Le Charmel, displaying both ability and leadership under artillery and machine gun fire and materially assisted in the consolidation of that point.