The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Major (Infantry) Henry Root Hill, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 128th Infantry Regiment, 32d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, France, 16 October 1918. With absolute disregard for his personal safety, Major Hill led his battalion over the top personally reached the objective, and cleaned out enemy machine-gun nests. When a group of enemy machine gunners were about to open fire on his flank, Major Hill noticed them, and, armed only with a captured pistol, he immediately went forward to engage them. Taken by surprise, three of the crew surrendered, but one, remaining in the pit, turned the machine gun on him; and as Major Hill’s pistol failed to work he was instantly killed by the machine-gun fire.