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 Sergeant Eugene Parish Walker (ASN: 914715), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company D, 7th Engineers, 5th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Verdun, France, 4 November 1918. When three boats in a pontoon bridge across the Meuse River were destroyed by artillery fire, he volunteered and waded into the river under heavy shell fire and, by holding up the deck until new boats were launched and placed in position, although under great physical strain, permitted the uninterrupted crossing of the infantry.