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 Severt J. Nelson (ASN: 2384890), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company M, 60th Infantry Regiment, 5th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Cunel, France, 12 October 1918. Leading his platoon in the face of murderous machine-gun fire, from his front and flanks, Sergeant Nelson reached his objective after taking four enemy machine-gun nests, and killing and capturing many prisoners. He then continued ahead of his men, and alone cleaned out some houses in the woods, which were occupied by the enemy.