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 Leo H. Blume (ASN: 1763718), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company C, 312th Infantry Regiment, 78th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Talma Farm, France, 18 October 1918. Private Blume volunteered to carry a message from his platoon across a zone of 200 yards swept by heavy artillery and machine-gun fire. He was seriously wounded while making the attempt to perform the mission and remained under this terrific fire for over two hours before it was possible to rescue him.