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) Charles M. Ford, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company D, 141st Infantry Regiment, 36th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near St. Etienne, France, 9 October 1918. After all the officers of his company had been killed or wounded, Lieutenant Ford took command of the company and, with about twenty-four men, advanced beyond the main line, over extremely difficult ground, capturing twenty-four enemy machine guns. Lieutenant Ford established his men in a good position, practically isolated from the rest of the line, and manning the captured guns, held the position under heavy machine-gun and shell fire for about sixty hours.