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 Second Lieutenant (Armor) John W. Gleason, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 345th Tank Battalion, Tank Corps, American Expeditionary Forces, near Cheppy, Montrebeau Woods, and Exermont, France, September 26 – 4 October 1918. During the action at Cheppy Lieutenant Gleason led his platoon against a strong point defended by machine and antitank guns, leaving his tank and leading his command on foot through a mine field under heavy rifle and machine-gun fire. Two days later, in Montrebeau Woods, he led his platoon against machine-gun nests, cleaning them out, and leading a battalion of infantry forward to occupy this position. On October 4 he continued in the attack on Exermont, though he had been twice wounded and ordered to the rear.