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 First Lieutenant (Infantry) Walter S. Burk, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Villers-devant-Dun, France, 2 November 1918. Lieutenant Burk refused to leave his platoon after being wounded. He led his men in the advance under heavy machine-gun fire and held all the potions taken until relieved the following morning.