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 Sergeant Claud E. Cherry (ASN: 559081), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company B, 11th Machine-Gun Battalion, 4th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near St. Thibault, France, 7 August 1918. Sergeant Cherry commanded the third platoon of his company during the engagement hear St. Thibault. On 7 August 1918, he crossed the Vesle River and took up a position in, front of his own infantry on terrain constantly swept by heavy artillery, machine-gun, and sniper fire and directed his guns so skillfully as to silence a machine-gun nest and make possible the Infantry advance. His conspicuous courage was an inspiration to his men. This gallant soldier was killed on 9 August 1918, by a fragment from an aerial bomb.