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 Sergeant William Theodore Lesh (ASN: 1915792), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Battery A, 321st Field Artillery, 82d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Sommerance, France, 14 October 1918. Wounded by shell fire, Sergeant Lesh refused to be evacuated, but after receiving first aid, continued to command his section, which was under heavy fire, encouraging his men by his own bravery.