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 John H. Gardner (ASN: 1312150), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company L, 118th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Brancourt, France, 8 October 1918. After his company commander had been wounded immediately before an attack, Sergeant Gardner took command of the company and led it throughout the action. When his company was held up by machine-gun fire, he went forward and killed four German machine-gunners, thereby enabling his company to continue the advance. On another occasion he picked up the rifle of a wounded soldier and killed three of the enemy. Later, when his company was almost surrounded by hostile machine gunners, under his cool direction his men fought their way out, reached their objective, and consolidated the position.