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) Gerald H. Gunst, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 360th Infantry Regiment, 90th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Andevanne, France, 2 November 1918. When several officers of a company became casualties, Lieutenant Gunst took command of an assault platoon. Although wounded in the leg while leading his platoon in the attack, he continued on until the objective was reached. Hen then voluntarily carried an important message to regimental headquarters, crossing an area covered by enemy machine-gun fire.