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 Private Edmund Riordan (ASN: 90659), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company G, 165th Infantry Regiment, 42d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Villers-sur-Fere, France, 1 August 1918. Private Riordan displayed unusual courage and bravery when, with utter disregard of his own personal danger, he left his shelter and went forward under heavy machine-gun and shell fire in an attempt to rescue a wounded comrade. In the performance of this heroic act he was instantly killed by a bursting shell.