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 Major (Infantry), [then Captain] Edgar N. Caldwell, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near St. Mihiel, France, 12 September 1918. When his company met with enemy machine-gun fire of such intensity that the success of the operation was threatened, Major Caldwell disregarding personal danger, walked up and down the front line, designating targets to his men and encouraging them. He then led an automatic rifle squad, proceeding two hundred yards ahead of the line, and captured an enemy machine gun.