The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Chief Boatswain’s Mate Frederick P. Yost, United States Navy, for distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commander of the Armed Guard of the S.S. Koln, and in encounters with enemy submarines. On 31 October 1917, a submarine was sighted close aboard; attempted to ram without success. Fired four shots, the last of which struck close. The submarine submerged. On 27 January 1918, in convoy, in the morning, sighted a periscope and fired five shots, periscope disappeared. In the afternoon, sighted submarine awash, fired four shots, when the submarine submerged.