Emil Carlson served in the United States Army during World War I. He would be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. His award citation reads: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Private First Class Emil Carlson (ASN: 283225), United States Army, for repeated acts of extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company A, 128th Infantry Regiment, 32d Division, A.E.F., near Cierges, France, 1 August 1918; and near Gesnes, France, 14 October 1918. During an attack near Cierges, Private Carlson, assisted by two comrades, repeatedly exposed himself to enemy machine-gun and artillery fire, in order to assist the wounded to the first-aid station. On 14 October in the Me