"Lieutenant Colonel James A. Shannon, a son-in-law of Brigadier General Eli D. Hoyle, U.S.A., until recently in command at Governors Island, has been killed in action.  Colonel Shannon was on the staff of General Pershng, and was a West Pointer in the Class if 1902.  When Congress declared war he was on duty as a military instructor at Harvard.  He was born in Minnesota thirty-nine years ago and leaves a wife and three children.

Colonel Shannon was killed-in-action in World War I on 8 October 1918, having attained the grade of Lieutenant Colonel and a place on the staff of General John J. Pershing, in France.

Colonel Shannon was subsequently buried with full military honors in Section 3 of Arlington National Cemetery.

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Citation:

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to James A. Shannon, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Chatel-Chehery, France, October 5 - 6, 1918.

Lieutenant Colonel Shannon voluntarily led an officer's patrol to a depth of three kilometers within the enemy lines. As a result of his exceptional bravery and skill in leading this patrol in its contact with the enemy, vital information was obtained at a critical period of the battle, to which much of the success of the next few days was due. The information thus secured was followed up by an attack the next morning, which this officer personally led and wherein he was fatally wounded. His superb leadership and personal courage furnished the necessary inspiration to an exhausted command.