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 Private Charles R. Burks (ASN: 101895), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company I, 165th Infantry Regiment, 42d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Sergy, northeast of Chateau-Thierry, France, 30 July 1918. During the midday attack on Sergy, after all the runners had been exhausted and many men had been killed or wounded, Private Burks volunteered to take a message to a neighboring unit through violent bombardment and machine-gun fire. He was killed by a machine-gun bullet while on his way with the message.