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 James Theodore Levas (ASN: 106256), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company B, 3d Machine-Gun Battalion, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, between Berzy-le-Sec and Soissons, France, on 19 July 1918. Sergeant Levas took charge of his platoon after his commander was killed. Soon afterward he himself was wounded, but he dressed his own wound and continued forward. In a later advance directed by him he was severely wounded, but placed his gun in position, looked after the security of his men, and reported those facts personally to his commanding officer before permitting himself to be taken to a dressing station.