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) Halleck Welles, Jr., United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 104th Infantry Regiment, 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Bouresches, France, 20 July 1918. Lieutenant Welles was seriously wounded in exposing himself to enemy machine-gun fire in order to locate the source. He nevertheless refused to be evacuated but continued in the advance with his men, inspiring them by his bravery.