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) Jay William MacFarland, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, during the St. Mihiel offensive, France, 12 September 1918. Perceiving a gap which was increasing between two attacking companies, Lieutenant MacFarland promptly led three squads to fill the interval. His command was met at once by severe machine-gun fire and suffered severe casualties. He ordered his men to keep down and alone went forward to locate the enemy guns. In this act he was severely wounded, but he successfully directed the attack on the guns, which were captured before he was evacuated to the rear.