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 Corporal Colonel Vanderbilt Larson (ASN: 282986), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Headquarters Company, 128th Infantry Regiment, 32d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Juvigny, France, September 1 – 3, 1918. Corporal Larson constantly patrolled the telephone lines in front of Juvigny, repairing the lines under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire. Near Ecurey, when the enemy artillery fire was so intense as to make telephonic communications impossible, Corporal Larson, on duty as a lineman, volunteered as a runner, and served as such under extremely heavy fire until completely exhausted.