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 Second Lieutenant (Infantry) John D. Cosgrove, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 139th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Charpentry, France, September 26 – 27, 1918. As battalion intelligence officer, Second Lieutenant Cosgrove repeatedly went in front of his own and adjoining battalions to secure information which he conveyed to regimental headquarters over fields swept by artillery and machine-gun fire. When the advance of his battalion was checked by destructive hostile fire, this officer, disregarding personal danger, conducted a personal reconnaissance, locating many machine guns and strongholds. He was killed while voluntarily leading and placing troops in advantageous positions to reduce these machine-gun nests.