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 Edward K. Rooney (ASN: 91386), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company K, 165th Infantry Regiment, 42d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Forrest of Parroy, France, 20 March 1918. After having successfully passed through an extraordinarily heavy barrage of gas and high-explosive shells, Sergeant Rooney volunteered and carried a message to the front line detachment, which, up to that time, had been cut off from all communication with the company.