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 James Jefferson Washa (ASN: 1387491), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company F, 131st Infantry Regiment, 33d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Chipilly Ridge, France, 9 August 1918. Exposing himself to heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, Sergeant Washa single-handed silenced two enemy machine-gun nests, which had been holding up his platoon On his own initiative he advanced against the first of the enemy posts and killed its crew. He then attacked the second position and took the enemy crew prisoner.