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) Harry Merz, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in the Dickebusch sector, Belgium, 27 August 1918. When his company was occupying a front-line position and suffering heavy losses from a near-by enemy sniper, Lieutenant Merz, locating the sniper, left his shelter and at great personal danger courageously advanced and succeeded in destroying the sniper and his nest with hand grenades.