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 Private First Class James E. Rutherford (ASN: 1897287), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Machine-Gun Company, 325th Infantry Regiment, 82d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near St. Juvin, France, 12 October 1918. At a critical moment during a hostile counterattack, Private Rutherford single-handed mounted a machine-gun, under heavy enemy fire, and operated it at close range against the advancing enemy, repulsing the counterattack by his bravery.