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 Reverend William Robertson Farmer, a United States Civilian, for extraordinary heroism in action while a member of the Y.M.C.A., while serving as a chaplain attached to the Third Battalion, 5th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Blanc Mont Ridge, France, 4 October 1918. Reverend Farmer voluntarily established an advanced dressing station under enemy machine-gun and artillery fire. He continued to render first aid until forced back by a threatened counterattack, at which time her personally assisted two seriously wounded men to the first-aid station, then returning to the line and remaining with the unit until it was relieved.