The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross to Captain Percy Duryea Cornell (MCSN: 0-187), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession while serving with the 55th Company, 5th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action on 18 July 1918, shortly after his company had jumped off in an attack against the enemy’s strongly organized position in the Bois de Ritz, southwest of Soissons. Seeing the advanced wave of the adjoining company being annihilated, and hearing the sudden outburst of machine gun fire coming directly from his front, Major Cornell, without thought of self, or the consequences, shouted to the men of his platoon to follow, and dashed toward the sound of the deadly fire followed by those few of his men who heard him, and, with their assistance silenced the machine gun. By this heroic act and rare presence of mind he saved the lives of many who would otherwise have been cut down.

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Percy Duryea Cornell (MCSN: 0-187), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 55th Company, 5th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action near St. Etienne, France, 4 October 1918. Captain Cornell courageously led his company through heavy artillery and machine-gun fire in the attack on a strongly defended enemy position. His company held the exposed flank and later, when the battalion withdrew, he skillfully covered the other shifting units while exposed to heavy enemy fire.