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 First Class John J. Cloonan (ASN: 67179), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company D, 103d Infantry Regiment, 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, at Belleau Wood, France, 20 July 1918, while acting as an automatic-rifle man. His assistant having been wounded, Private Cloonan advanced under a heavy concentration of enemy machine-gun fire and artillery fire and volunteered to destroy, single-handed, two enemy machine guns which were directing a severe fire against the flank of his company. With great bravery and utter disregard for his own safety, he successfully accomplished his mission; his act undoubtedly save the lives of many of his comrades and also permitted the further advance of his company.