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 Sergeant George Arthur Wilkinson (ASN: 99890), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company A, 168th Infantry Regiment, 42d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Cote-de-Chatillon, France, 14 October 1918. While leading his platoon up the steep and strongly fortified slopes of Hill 288 under terrific machine-gun fire, with great dash and courage Sergeant Wilkinson charged and captured three machine-gun nests which had caused severe losses to his platoon. On two occasions he reorganized his platoon under heavy machine-gun fire, and while unfalteringly pressing his advantage in personally charging and putting out of action a fourth machine-gun emplacement he received the wound which caused his instant death.