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 First Class Orval Wilcoxson (ASN: 2216138), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Machine-Gun Company, 357th Infantry Regiment, 90th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in the Argonne, France, 23 October 1918. Private First Class Wilcoxson was always the first to volunteer as a company runner for dangerous missions, and repeatedly passed through heavy fire to deliver important messages, showing marked personal heroism.