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 George Blaine Ward (ASN: 1309976), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company A, 118th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Brancourt, France, 8 October 1918. Taking command of the company after all officers had become casualties, Sergeant Ward reorganized it, and led it under hostile shelling and withering machine-gun fire, to its objective. He remained in command until painfully wounded on the following day.