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 Captain (Infantry) John T. Comerford, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Machine-Gun Company, 101st Infantry Regiment, 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Bois-de-Belleu, north of Verdun, France, 28 October 1918. Following five days’ combat, during which his company made three attacks and repulsed four counterattacks in which his company was well-nigh exhausted by uninterrupted fighting, the enemy placed a barrage of minenwerfer, machine-gun and artillery fire on a slightly entrenched front line, causing the Infantry to fall back, leaving a gap in the line. Captain Comerford volunteered to reestablish the line, gathered a group of ten men, organized them, and led them into the gap, encountered an enemy patrol coming through, charged and drove them out, reestablished the line, and held it under a heavy machine-gun fire until reinforcements arrived. During this action he and a majority of his men were wounded, and some of the latter killed, but their heroic action prevented the enemy from inflicting heavy losses by flanking fire.