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 William H. McCarthy (ASN: 51181), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company H, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Vaux, France, 2 July 1918. During an artillery bombardment Private McCarthy was wounded and rendered unconscious by the explosion of a large shell. Upon recovering consciousness he gave no thought to his own wound but devoted himself to the rescue of other wounded and carried them through enemy fire to a place of shelter.