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 Private Willie Cross (ASN: 1309733), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company M, 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Bellicourt, France, 7 October 1918. After three runners had been killed in attempting to carry a message to an advanced platoon through a heavy artillery and machine-gun barrage, Private Cross volunteered for the mission and carried the message through.