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 Captain (Infantry) Charles Lucas McLain, United States Army, for repeated acts of extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, on the Marne River, France, 15 July 1918, and at Apremont, France, 29 September 1918. Captain McLain was an observer with the French when the enemy attack on the Marne River was started 15 July 1918. All the officers of an infantry company having been killed or wounded, he voluntarily reorganized the remainder of the company and successfully fought his way through the enemy, upon two occasions being surrounded. In this operation he was badly gassed. At Apremont, 29 September when his own company had reached its objective, Captain McLain, finding that another company was without officers, voluntarily assumed command of it and led the first waste. In so doing Captain McLain was wounded, but he continued in action until the objective was reached.