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 Wortham Jackson Payne (ASN: 106420), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company D, 3d Machine-Gun Battalion, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Very, France, 9 October 1918. During a heavy bombardment, Sergeant Payne located a position in which his platoon would be less exposed to the intense shelling, and returning he collected his men and led them to this new location without a casualty. In the course of this exploit Sergeant Payne was severely wounded, but directed his platoon to the place of protection after falling from exhaustion. Sergeant Payne died on his way to the hospital.