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 Captain (Infantry) Roy Ritner Kriechbaum, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Fismette, France, 9 August 1918. When the town of Fismette was held both by the enemy and our forces, Captain Kriechbaum voluntarily exposed himself to heavy close-range machine-gun fire in order to rescue a wounded soldier. While in the performance of this heroic act, he was severely wounded in both legs.