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 Fred V. Ballestero (ASN: 2265095), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company A, 363d Infantry Regiment, 91st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Very, France, 26 September 1918. At the very outset of the action, Private Ballestero took six prisoners single handed and under fire. After his company had been stopped by heavy firing, he and another soldier went ahead on a reconnaissance mission and encountered heavy machine-gun fire. Sending his companion back with information and for help, he alone pressed on, capturing a machine-gun and its entire crew.