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 Major (Infantry), [then Captain] Rutherford Houston Spessard, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 58th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Ville-Savoye, France, 6 August and near Bois-de-Fays, France, 2 October 1918. During the crossing of the Vesle River Major Rutherford H. Spessard, when his battalion commander was killed, immediately assumed command of the battalion without orders and led them across the Vesle River against strongly fortified enemy positions, displaying absolute disregard for his personal danger. On 2 October in the vicinity of the Bois-de-Fays, Major Spessard exposed himself to intense enemy artillery and machine-gun fire while making observations and directing the movement of his men. He established his battalion headquarters a short distance to the rear of his lines in a position continually subjected to severe enemy artillery fire.