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 Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Harding F. Horton, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 131st Infantry Regiment, 33d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Bois-de-Chaume, France, 10 October 1918. Although twice wounded, Lieutenant Horton refused to leave his command, continuing to lead it through annihilating machine-gun and perilous shell fire. When a machine gun on the flank opened fire and caused many casualties on his forces, he seized a rifle, and, firing from a standing position, he was wounded a third time and killed.