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 Waldo S. Bassett (ASN: 40552), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company L, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, south of Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. Corporal Bassett volunteered to carry messages through intense shell and machine-gun fire after all of the runners had been killed or wounded. He was wounded while carrying a message, but continued on in spite of his injuries until it was delivered, and refused to go to the rear for treatment until ordered to do so by his company commander.