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 Colonel (Infantry) Avery Duane Cummings, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 181st Infantry Brigade, 91st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Gesnes, France, 29 September 1918. During the attack on Gesnes Colonel Cummings, then a lieutenant colonel, in addition to performing his regular duties as brigade adjutant, 181st Brigade, went forward with the front line of attack, directing the organization and outposting of the front line after Gesnes and the army objective beyond it had been captured. All of the senior officers of the assaulting regiment having been killed or wounded in the attack on Gesnes, he unhesitatingly organized the scattered elements of the regiment and pushed the attack home to final success.