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 First Lieutenant (Infantry) Joseph J. Hook, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving as Scout Officer, 3d Battalion, 356th Infantry Regiment, 89th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, at Pouilly, France, 5 and 6 November 1918. Participating in the first reconnaissance of the damaged bridges at Pouilly, with two others, Lieutenant Hook advanced more than 500 meters beyond the American outposts, crossing three branches of the Meuse River and successfully encountering the enemy.