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 Corporal Edward S. Blackman (ASN: 572390), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company G, 59th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in the Bois-du-Fays, France, on or about 5 October 1918. Corporal Blackman repeatedly volunteered to carry messages through intense barrages of artillery fire in order to obtain essential information and to keep his battalion commander informed as to the progress of the battle. While performing this mission, he was severely wounded and died later as a result of wounds received during this action.