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 Sergeant Harry R. Kelsey (ASN: 1456594), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company E, 139th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Charpentry, France, 27 September 1918. Sergeant Kelsey volunteered to carry an important message from his company commander to battalion headquarters and, knowing the extreme importance of the message, proceeded by the most direct route through the enemy machine-gun fire and artillery barrage, with entire disregard for his personal safety. He was killed while performing this heroic service.