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 First Lieutenant (Infantry) Harvey S. Hester, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Vaux Andigny, France, 10 October 1918. Although severely wounded in the back by shrapnel, Lieutenant Hester led his platoon forward, covering a flank of his battalion which was exposed to heavy enemy fire.