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 First Lieutenant (Infantry) George Edward Rand, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 353d Infantry Regiment, 89th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in Bois-de-Barricourt, France, 2 November 1918. First Lieutenant Rand led his platoon in the face of terrific machine-gun fire, capturing four machine-guns and their crews, thereby facilitating the advance of the command. Over half of his men were either killed or wounded before reaching the objective.