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 William A. Black (ASN: 732379), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company E, 6th Infantry Regiment, 5th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, during the Meuse offensive November 3 – 4, 1918. After three runners had been wounded in an attempt to deliver an important message, Private Black volunteered and delivered the message, twice crossing a valley swept by machine-gun and artillery fire, and wading a river filled with ice and slush.