The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Joseph Fletcher Swift, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 362d Infantry Regiment, 91st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Epinonville, France, 27 September 1918, and near Gesnes, France, 29 September 1918. After a machine gun company had in vain attempted for an hour to silence a machine gun which was causing heavy losses to his regiment, Lieutenant Swift, armed only with a pistol, advanced alone upon the enemy position. He killed the crew of four men, saving the lives of many of our men and rendering a more rapid advance possible. In the attack on Gesnes, while making a daring attempt to perform a similar act, Lieutenant Swift was killed by enemy fire.