The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Lewis M. Tharp, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 140th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, north of Charpentry, France, 27 and 28 September 1918. Lieutenant Tharp repeatedly exposed himself to heavy enemy artillery and machine-gun fire in order to maintain communication between company and battalion headquarters.