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 (Field Artillery) Latimer A. Johns, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 122d Field Artillery, 33d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Gesnes, France, 30 September 1918, Lieutenant Johns was in command of a platoon in support of an assaulting battalion of infantry. During the attack he went far ahead of the infantry to establish an observation post, where he directed fire from his guns, thereby rendering valuable assistance to the advancing battalion. After several attempts, he went through a heavy enemy barrage and enfilading machine-gun fire, but when returning to his post he was killed.