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 Corporal Joseph James McNiff (ASN: 61439), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company H, 101st Infantry Regiment, 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, at Belleau Bois, France, 25 October 1918. When the detachment to which he belonged was cut off and surrounded by the enemy and reinforcements were needed urgently, Corporal McNiff volunteered to carry a message requesting assistance to the nearest post of command, despite the fact that several runners had been shot down in attempting to get through the enemy fire. Making his way over open ground swept by intense enemy machine-gun and artillery fire, Corporal McNiff, with no thought other than to bring up much needed aid, fought his way through an enemy outpost line and delivered the message in time to save the detachment.