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 Robert Allen Rhodes (ASN: 254216), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company M, 103d Infantry Regiment, 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Chateau-Thierry, France, 20 and 22 July 1918. East of Belleau Wood Private Rhodes continually carried messages under heavy machine-gun fire while acting as a runner. On 22 July near Epieds, he crossed an open gap swept by machine-gun fire in order to deliver an important message, and later was a voluntary member of a patrol which rescued wounded under fire from advanced positions.