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 First Class Charles Russell Reilley (ASN: 2273734), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company F, 316th Engineers, 91st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, at Audenarde, Belgium, 1 November and 10 November 1918. On 1 November Sergeant Reilley voluntarily accompanied a patrol into the city of Audenarde, when it was still occupied by the enemy, obtaining important data on destroyed bridges and attacking an enemy patrol three times the number. He also captured a German spy while the latter was attempting to escape. On this same day he forced a sniper to cover, thus saving the life of his captain, who was about to be fired upon. On 10 November he swam the Escaut River, braving the fire of enemy snipers on the opposite bank, and tied a rope to an enemy barrel bridge, thereby making a crossover for the infantry.