By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), Captain [then First Lieutenant] John W. Thomason, Jr. (MCSN: 0-985), United States Marine Corps, is cited by the Commanding General, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. Lieutenant Thomason distinguished himself by gallantry in action while serving with the 49th Company, Fifth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, at Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. While attacking through the Foret de Retz his company was stopped by heavy casualties from violent machine gun fire, the enemy machine gun nest discovered to be in underbrush about 50 yards distant from the company’s position. To prevent further casualties he with one man and with great gallantry captured the nest containing two heavy machine guns and killed the crew.