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 Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Leonard Cox, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 305th Infantry Regiment, 77th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, on the Vesle River near Bazoches, France, 2 September 1918. Second Lieutenant Cox left St. Thibault in broad daylight with another officer and a patrol of 10 men to reconnoiter the enemy’s positions across the Vesle River. The patrol divided and Lieutenant Cox conducted his half to the chateau in Bazoches, a recognized German post. He entered the yard of the chateau, met parties of the enemy personally, killed two, and wounded another who were firing on members of his patrol; continued his observations, though fired upon by machine guns, and with great skill withdrew his patrol under fire without loss, having gained valuable information.