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 Ferdinand F. Blume (ASN: 1825965), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company C, 319th Infantry Regiment, 80th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, on the west bank of the Meuse, France, 26 September 1918. While his platoon was being held up by wire and other obstacles, and the fire of the enemy threatened to annihilate it, Corporal Blume made his way through the wire to the German trenches, from which position he bombed the enemy from their trenches. He thus saved the lives of many of his comrades, and enabled them to take the trenches with a minimum of casualties.