The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Henry Rysdyk Blackham, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Brabant, France, 11 October 1918. Although severely wounded by machine-gun fire, Lieutenant Blackham refused to go to the rear and continued to lead his company until he was killed.