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 Oscar W. Peterson (ASN: 560685), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company A, 59th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Courchamps, France, 19 July 1918. Discovering the enemy making a counterattack to the left flank of his platoon, Sergeant Peterson immediately organized a combat group of 25 men, and though greatly outnumbered by the Germans he succeeded in routing them, inspiring his men by his disregard of personal danger. He was severely wounded later in the day, but he refused to go to the rear until he had reorganized his platoon an hour and a half later.