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 Ralph Lasley Coffman (ASN: 794687), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company B, 15th Machine-Gun Battalion, 5th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Brieulles, France, 4 November 1918. When his advance had been held up by an enemy machine gun, having been advised that the crew manning the gun would die rather than surrender, Sergeant Coffman alone attacked the gun. His attempt proved fatal, for he was killed before reaching the gun. His action, however, enabled his platoon to overcome the resistance without further serious loss.