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 Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Charles E. Nelson, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 104th Infantry Regiment, 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Trugny, France, 22 July 1918. Lieutenant Nelson led eight soldiers in an attack on a machine-gun that was inflicting severe losses in his company. Two of his detachment were lulled and two wounded before he reached the machine-gun nest. With the remaining four he attacked, captured the gun, killed five Germans, including one officer, and took 11 prisoners.