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) Josephus Benjamin Wilson, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 15th Machine-Gun Battalion, 5th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Cunel, France, 12 October 1918. Lieutenant Wilson skillfully led a portion of his company through a terrific hostile barrage, establishing them in shell holes where the guns were set up. He then returned through the same barrage and, assembling his reserve platoon, started in the direction of the enemy, but while leading his men to the attack, he was mortally wounded and died upon the field.