Distinguished Service Cross
2
6.8
- noun
- /dɪsˈtɪŋɡwɪʃt ˈsɜrvɪs krɔs/
- Formal
:
Cruz de Servicio Distinguida
- For his heroics, Poschner received a Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and the Distinguished Service Cross.
- receive the Distinguished Service Cross
- awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
- earned the Distinguished Service Cross
Examples
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And for conspicuous gallantry beyond the call of duty, you have been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
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For his actions in combat, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Star.
Blog text (27) -
I, Susan Peters, have earned both the Commendation Medal and the Distinguished Service Cross.
Fiction book (1993) -
Three Army NCOs received the Distinguished Service Cross, and many others performed extraordinary deeds of valor, initiative, or professionalism.
Academic text (1995) -
My father won the Distinguished Service Cross in World War I.
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For his actions in combat, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Star.
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In July, Donovan received the Distinguished Service Cross for leading his battalion in the capture of German positions near Villers-sur-Fre.
Surface Forms
Morphology
distinguished + service + cross
The words 'distinguished' and 'service' together signal notable military service and 'cross' can be interpreted as a type of medal, so a learner who knows the constituents could infer this is a military decoration. However, the precise identity as a specific U.S. Army award and the exact criterion of 'extraordinary heroism in combat' are conventional and not fully predictable from the parts, making the phrase only partly transparent.
Etymology
Distinguished Service Cross can be remembered by its three parts: distinguished (someone who stands out for bravery), service (their military duty), and cross (the cross-shaped medal worn on the chest). So, the name came to mean a special medal given to soldiers for 'extraordinary heroism' in battle.