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 Private William L. Milne (ASN: 1489917), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company D, 142d Infantry Regiment, 36th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near St. Etienne, France, 8 October 1918. With the aid of another soldier, Private Milne attacked and captured a machine-gun nest, at the same time killing and capturing several of the enemy. He later organized a support line by assembling the scattered members of one of the companies of his regiment and a platoon of the machine-gun company, forming them into a combatant force.