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 Leonard B. Fritz (ASN: 1309759), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company M, 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Busigny, France, 18 October 1918. When his platoon was held up by an enemy machine-gun post, Private Fritz with another soldier taking their automatic rifles rushed forward through intense fire, skillfully placed the rifle in position and opened effective fire.