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 Sergeant Bernard R. Finnerty (ASN: 90705), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company H, 165th Infantry Regiment, 42d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Auberive, France, 16 July 1918. Sergeant Finnerty bravely attacked a group of the enemy without assistance in a bayou near, and drove them out, thereby saving his unit from surprise attack. While engaged in this courageous enterprise he was killed.