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 Sergeant Charles W. Allen (ASN: 221668), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company E, 357th Infantry Regiment, 90th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Bantheville, France, 23 October 1918. During a fight between his company and superior force of the enemy, Sergeant Allen observed a machine gun in action on the flank of his platoon. He charged the emplacement and captured the crew of six men.