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 First Lieutenant (Infantry) John Exum Scott, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 119th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, at St. Souplet, France, 11 October 1918. Discovering that the right flank of his battalion was exposed and unprotected, Lieutenant Scott, with utter disregard of his own danger, made a personal reconnaissance of the exposed flank under heavy enemy fire. Returning to his company he reported the situation to his company commander and was given two small platoons to form a flank guard. Under withering machine-gun fire of the enemy, Lieutenant Scott successfully organized his position and by his fearlessness and indomitable courage so inspired his men that they held their ground, thus preventing a break-through that might have been fatal to his regiment.