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 Private Walter Harrison Detrow (ASN: 2110211), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company B, 47th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Sergy, France, 1 August 1918. After all the officers and noncommissioned officers of his platoon had been lost, Private Detrow assumed command of the platoon, successfully leading it from its critical situation to the objective through a terrific machine-gun and shell fire. He performed this gallant act without any previous instructions or orders and acted entirely upon his own initiative.