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 William Howard (ASN: 44481), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company M, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Charpentry, France, 3 October 1918. With a rescue party of three other men, Private Howard went four hundred yards in advance of our lines to rescue a wounded soldier who had lain in an exposed place before an enemy machine-gun post for five days. The mission was successfully performed in broad daylight under a sweeping fire from enemy machine guns.