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 Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Edgar C. Westervelt, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Soissons, France, July 18 – 21, 1918. Unaided Second Lieutenant Westervelt reconnoitered enemy machine-gun positions. On 19 July 1918, with a small party he crossed an area swept by fire and demolished several machine-gun nests that were holding up the advance.