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 First Lieutenant (Medical Corps) Josiah Alvin Powless, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Medical Detachment, 308th Infantry Regiment (Attached), 77th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Chevieres, France, 14 October 1918. When notified that his colleague, Captain James M. McKibben, had been wounded, Lieutenant Powless immediately went forward to his assistance. He crossed an area subjected to intense machine-gun and constant artillery fire, reached his colleague, whose wound proved to be fatal, and, after dressing his wounds, had him carried to the rear. Lieutenant Powless was seriously wounded while performing this service.