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 Orson Davis Bleazard, Jr. (ASN: 1113348), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company C, 9th Field Signal Battalion, 5th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in the Bois-des-Rappes, France, 22 October 1918. Although he was almost exhausted from gas and fatigue, Private Bleazard remained on duty throughout the day and night, laying telephone lines from the regimental relay station to the front line through heavy barrage fire from artillery and machine guns.