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 First Class Henry Arthur West (ASN: 2154039), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company L, 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Molain, France, 17 October 1918. With another soldier, Private First Class West volunteered to go out across an open space swept by heavy machine-gun fire, for 150 yards, to rescue two wounded soldiers. The mission was accomplished successfully.