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 Mechanic Arthur Lay (ASN: 38906), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company D, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near the Meuse River,. France, November 3 – 4, 1918. While passing through the German lines at night carrying messages Mechanic Lay captured eight of the enemy, including two officers, and marched them back four kilometers. Next day he carried messages through artillery and machine-gun fire, and fearlessly exposed himself to danger in guiding companies into position. While returning from a mission he carried a severely wounded comrade through a machine-gun barrage to the dressing station.