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 Sergeant John J. O’Brien (ASN: 156804), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company D, 2d Engineers, 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near St. Etienne-a-Arnes, France, October 5 – 7, 1918. Advancing ahead of the infantry, Sergeant O’Brien made several reconnaissances of the town of St. Etienne-a-Arnes; and, in spite of the danger exposed to machine-gun and artillery fire of our own and enemy guns, he procured and returned with valuable information.