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 Captain (Infantry) George C. Hart, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 309th Machine-Gun Battalion, 78th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Grand Pre, France, October 25 – 26, 1918. On October 25 Captain Hart volunteered to lead his company into a particularly dangerous sector on the ridge north of Grand Pre, offering their use practically as infantry. His act was of inestimable value in strengthening the morale of the Infantry battalion which had suffered very heavy casualties and had no prospect of relief. On the morning of October 26 during a counterattack he not only personally directed the location of his machine guns in the outpost line, but by his splendid example of fearlessness he rallied and commanded the Infantry when no other officer was available, and was an inspiration to both the infantrymen and machine gunners in holding the ridge. He fought valiantly until very seriously wounded by enemy machine-gun fire.