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 Corporal Onal Marvin Cope (ASN: 156607), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company C, 2d Engineers, 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Vaux, France, July 1 – 4, 1918. Acting as runner during the entire action Corporal Cope volunteered and carried messages making eight trips one night, exposed at all times to high explosives and gas shells and machine-gun fire.