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 First Class Martin J. Higgins, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company H, 165th Infantry Regiment, 42d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Villers-sur-Fere, on 30 July 1918. Private First Class Higgins twice left shelter and went out into exposed places in front of the firing line, under heavy enemy machine-gun fire, and carried in wounded comrades.