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 Lester Carson (ASN: 1245729), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company L, 111th Infantry Regiment, 28th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, at Fismette, France, 11 August 1918. After a runner had been killed trying to carry a message from Fismette to Fismes, Private Carson volunteered and successfully delivered a duplicate message over the same route through heavy artillery and machine-gun fire.