The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Sergeant First Class Virgil Christian Mottern (ASN: 1330229), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company C, 105th Field Signal Battalion, 30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Mazinghein, France, 19 October 1918. Sergeant Mottern lost his life while personally laying a telephone line over exceedingly dangerous ground, under continuous artillery fire which had caused a great loss among the runners. He attempted the laying of this line in order to give his men a rest in a place of safety.