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 Captain (Infantry) Francis Asbury Awl, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 315th Infantry Regiment, 79th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, during the Meuse-Argonne offensive, 26 – 29 September 1918. On 26 September when a portion of his company had been pocketed on a ridge and subjected to enfilade fire of the enemy’s machine guns and snipers, disregarding his own safety, Captain Awl crawled into the open on the exposed flank and, by engaging the enemy, enabled his men to withdraw, thereby saving a great loss of life and permitting the unit to reform for a further advance. Later he repeatedly led successful attacks against superior numbers and machine-gun nests. While in an attack on September 29 he was severely wounded and refused to be evacuated until forced to do so.