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 Technician Fourth Grade Reynold J. King (ASN: 32211556), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with the Fourth Company, First Regiment, First Special Service Force, in action against the enemy near Fort Eminence, Ile de Port Cros, France, on the morning of 15 August 1944. Repulsed by devastating machine gun and mortar fire in its assault on the strongly defended Fort Eminence, Sergeant King’s company was momentarily disorganized. Rallying the men of his light machine gun squad, Sergeant King, upon his own initiative moved them to a flank position where fire could be brought to bear on the determined enemy. In crawling well forward to an exposed position to get better observation and to determine the effect of his squad’s machine gun fire on the enemy, he succeeded at the same time, with deadly rifle fire, in silencing an enemy machine gun. When his company was directed to withdraw, Sergeant King ordered his squad to remain in position and directed the covering fore for its movement to new positions. The withdrawal of the company completed, he continued to remain in place while he protected, in turn, the withdrawal of his squad, and while thus engaged he was killed by an enemy sniper. The actions of Sergeant King throughout the engagement were above and beyond the normal call of duty and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Army.