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 Leroy A. Bicknell (ASN: 555306), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company D, 9th Machine-Gun Battalion, 3d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, during the Argonne-Meuse operations October 9 – 26, 1918. With no Infantry support, his platoon withstood an enemy attack for two days, during which time two of his men and one gun were captured. He planned and carried out a counter attack, using in part captured enemy guns, and succeeded in releasing his own men and capturing about 50 prisoners.