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 Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Fred H. Becker, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Army Infantry, Fifth Regiment (Marines) (Attached), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Vierzy, France, 18 July 1918. Lieutenant Becker went forward in advance of his platoon and destroyed a machine-gun nest, thereby preventing the death or injury of many men of his command. His self-sacrificing courage permitted his platoon to advance, but, as he completed the performance of this noble work, he himself was killed.