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 Private First Class John J. Murphy (ASN: 141498), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Battery F, 148th Field Artillery, American Expeditionary Forces, near Nantillois, France, 31 October 1918. Private Murphy displayed a remarkable example of heroism by carrying two wounded men from the gun pit after being seriously wounded himself when a German shell exploded within a few feet of the piece which was being; loaded, setting fire to several boxes of powder and to the camouflage covering of the pit. After carrying the wounded men to safety, he returned to the pit, closed the breech of the piece, verified its laying, and fired it, preventing what probably would have been a very serious explosion. He was quickly carried to the aid station, where it was found that he had suffered serious burns from the terrific heat, besides being wounded in several places by shell fragments.