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 Corporal Edward Francis Murphy (ASN: 70786), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company D, 104th Infantry Regiment, 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Verdun, France, 16 October 1918. When his platoon was nearly surrounded by a superior force of the enemy, Corporal Murphy held off the enemy by his rifle fire until his comrades could withdraw, he himself being severely wounded while covering their retreat.