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) Harold Gross McKey, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 128th Infantry Regiment, 32d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, at Romagne, France, October 13 – 14, 1918. When his company commander was wounded, Lieutenant McKey took command of the company. Although wounded and weakened by the loss of blood, he refused to be evacuated but continued in command of his men for 32 hours under severe machine-gun and artillery fire, until the town of Romagne was taken, remaining in action until ordered to the rear.