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 Lieutenant (Infantry) Charles Earl Schermerhorn, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 328th Infantry Regiment, 82d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Cornay, France, October 9 – 10, 1918. After successfully driving off the enemy his attacking force was counter-attacked and surrounded. The officers in charge decided to surrender to the greatly superior numbers, but Lieutenant Schermerhorn, refusing to do so, made his way to our lines through deadly enemy fire, although severely wounded while doing so.