The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Chemical Corps) Percy Adams Rideout, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company D, 1st Gas Regiment, American Expeditionary Forces, at Cierges, France, 4 October 1918. First Lieutenant Rideout made an extended reconnaissance in advance of the outposts, fearlessly exposed himself to enemy machine-gun fire, and was several times knocked down by exploding shells. The information he secured was valuable to the infantry, giving them knowledge of the exact location of machine-gun nests. During the action this officer directed the laying of the smoke barrage from an exposed position, remaining at his station throughout the operation, in spite of severe shell and machine-gun fire, and continuing to display the highest courage until he was killed by shell fire.