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 First Lieutenant (Infantry) Oscar L. Farris, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company C, 114th Machine-Gun Battalion, 30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near La Hale Menneresse, France, 17 October 1918. While in charge of a platoon of his company, which was manning the immediate guns supporting the advancing infantry his platoon was caught in the enemy’s counter barrage and many men became casualties. Lieutenant Farris reorganized the remaining men into squads, collecting stragglers and was able to push ahead with all guns and reached the objective on schedule time despite the heavy machine-gun and trench-mortar fire of the enemy. After reaching the objective he offered his services to the Infantry commander who had him advance four of his machine guns to protect his right flank, enabling the withdrawal of Lewis guns on that flank for use elsewhere. His able leadership and initiative contributed largely to the success of the operation.