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 Louis Paul Surdez (ASN: 2383729), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company G, 60th Infantry Regiment, 5th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near St. Mihiel, France, 16 September 1918. Although wounded by shell fire a few minutes before his company took up the advance Sergeant Surdez led his platoon through 17 hours of shell fire, and by his exceptional example during the advance and consolidation of the new positions encouraged his men to their full duty in action.