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 First Class William J. Brigando (ASN: 65548), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company I, 102d Infantry Regiment, 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Verdun, France, 27 October 1918. During the attack on Hill 360, north of Verdun, on 27 October Private Brigando, in charge of a squad, made a desperate attempt to silence a machine gun which was holding up the advance of the entire company. The nature of the terrain made this attack more than hazardous, but Private Brigando nevertheless persisted until the entire squad, himself included, had become casualties.