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) Isham Rowland Williams, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Fossoy, France, 21 July 1918. Lieutenant Williams led a patrol across the Marne River under intense machine-gun fire, and when his boat was sunk, twice swam the river to correct the fire of his covering detachment and to bring his patrol to safety after their mission had been accomplished.