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) Vern A. Morgan, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 355th Infantry Regiment, 89th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Beaufort, France, 4 November 1918. Although he was wounded early in the engagement by shrapnel, Lieutenant Morgan, after receiving first-aid treatment, immediately returned to his company and led it throughout the day. After taking the town of Beaufort, he pushed on with his command to its objective through heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, 40 per cent of his company becoming casualties.