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 Private William Edward Wood (ASN: 1311052), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company E, 118th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near the La Selle River, France, 17 October 1918. When his squad had become separated from the company in a dense fog, Private Wood immediately attached himself and his squad to a company in the attacking wave and continued in the advance. He worked forward with a Lewis gun and so placed it that he delivered so severe a fire upon an enemy machine-gun nest that the crew deserted it. He continued firing until his gun was completely demolished by an enemy shell. Not daunted by this, Private Wood secured a rifle and continued to pour the fire of his whole squad upon the retreating enemy, killing many of them.