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 First Class Walter Pickacz (ASN: 91380), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company K, 165th Infantry Regiment, 42d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, at Cote-de-Chatillon, France, 1 November 1918. During a heavy enemy bombardment, when a high explosive shell buried four men of his company in a shell hole, wounding three and killing one of them, Private Pickacz, with complete disregard of his own safety, left his shelter, hurried to their rescue and, under a heavy barrage of enemy machine-gun and artillery fire, assisted in digging the men out with his hands and carrying them to a place of safety.