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 (Corps of Engineers) John Jefferson Flowers Steiner, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 1st Battalion, 2d Engineers, 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Medeah Ferme, France, 9 October 1918. In command of his battalion in the front line, Major Steiner personally conducted a reconnaissance. Exposed to enemy fire, he obtained valuable information after other patrols had failed. An attack was then organized, in which two machine-guns were captured and a dangerous salient eliminated.