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 (Medical Corps) Ralph Easterday Swarts, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 23d Infantry Regiment (Attached), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near St. Etienne-a-Arnes, France, October 3 – 9, 1918. During the offensive operations of October 3 – 9, Lieutenant Swarts worked unceasingly in the most advanced stations in the divisional sector dressing the wounded in the open under terrific machine-gun and shell fire. He took cover only when all wounded had been dressed and evacuated.