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 First Class Joseph J. Cassidy (ASN: 1282963), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company C, 111th Machine-Gun Battalion, 29th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in the Bois d’Etrayes, near Verdun, France, 23 October 1918. In spite of being very ill and near exhaustion, Private Cassidy, with his gun crew, under almost continuous shell fire for more than 24 hours remained directing and encouraging the men of his depleted squad. Private Cassidy was killed by shell fire while he was faithfully engaged in keeping his machine gun in action.