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 Private Aaron Franklin Valentine (ASN: 2249811), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company A, 344th Machine-Gun Battalion, 90th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near St. Marie Valley, France, 15 September 1918. When his company was held up by a German machine-gun nest, located in a tree, Private Valentine rushed alone into an exposed position, set up his machine gun, regardless of the intense fire from the nest, killed the gunner, and put the nest out of action, thereby making the continued advance of the company possible.