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 First Lieutenant (Infantry) James Gervys Lusk, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 2d Machine-Gun Battalion, 16th Infantry (Attached), 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, at Montrebeau Woods, near Charpentry, France, 4 October 1918. After all the other officers in the attack had been killed or wounded, Lieutenant Lusk took command of fragments of the battalion, reorganized them under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, and personally led them forward in the attack, as a result of which six machine guns and a number of prisoners were taken. The capture effected, the advance of other troops was insured.