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 Elmer Todd (ASN: 105438), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company B, 2d Machine-Gun Battalion, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, south of Soissons, France, 20 July 1918. Corporal Todd led his squad by crawling from shell hole to shell hole through heavy machine-gun fire for a distance of about 300 yards in advance of the Infantry. Selecting a position, he placed his machine gun so as to bring an enfilade fire on a section of enemy trench that was holding up the advance of the Infantry. The fire of his squad was so effective as to cause the enemy to surrender, thereby facilitating the further advance of the attacking battalion.