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 Fred Otte (ASN: 124371), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company A, 111th Infantry Regiment, 28th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, at Fismes and Fismette, France, August 9 – 13, 1918. For four days, during the most intense fighting, Private Otte acted as runner between his battalion headquarters at Fismes and troops in Fismette. He made many trips across the Vesle River under heavy shell and machine-gun fire, and when the bridge had been destroyed he continued his trips by swimming the river, which contained wire entanglements.