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 Private Earl W. Lautenslager (ASN: 1213623), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company B, 108th Infantry Regiment, 27th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, east of Ronssoy, France, 29 September 1918. During the operations against the Hindenburg line, when his company was held up by an enemy machine-gun nest, he volunteered to cross an open field in front of his company in order to ascertain the exact location of the enemy’s position. While engaged in this enterprise he was killed by a bursting shell. His heroic self-sacrifice was a splendid example to the men of his company.