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 Thomas E. Grider (ASN: 42170), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company C, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Soissons, France, 22 July 1918. Private Grider carried important messages through heavy shell and machine-gun fire and fought his way through territory occupied by the enemy.