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 Corporal Russell L. Plemons (ASN: 1309472), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company L, 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Ponchaux, France, 7 October 1918. After seeing two other soldiers killed while attempting to carry automatic-rifle ammunition through a heavy artillery and machine-gun barrage, Corporal Plemons volunteered for this dangerous mission and successfully accomplished it.