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 Horace Smotherman (ASN: 1387630), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company F, 131st Infantry Regiment, 33d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Gercourt, France, 26 September 1918. Advancing, on his own initiative, under heavy artillery, snipers’, and machine-gun fire, Private Smotherman threw a grenade into a snipers’ post, fire from which had held up our advance. His grenade killed the snipers and allowed a renewal of the advance which proved successful.