The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Lieutenant General C. C. V. Gillain, Belgian Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States, during World War I, as Chief of the General Staff of the Belgian Army, as an expression to him of the high regard of the people of the United States and their Army for the distinguished and patriotic services which he has rendered to the common cause in which he has been associated on the battle fields of Europe.