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 Bugler Joseph J. Coff (ASN: 1452466), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company F, 138th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Very, France, 26 September 1918. Bugler Coff was a member of liaison group, who worked their way 1, 000 yards in advance of their first wave. Surrounded by enemy machine-guns, Bugler Coff, accompanied by two more soldiers, silenced two machine guns and took 23 prisoners. Seriously gassed he persisted in remaining in the fight, until exhausted.