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 Saddler Sergeant Jacob C. Smith, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism while serving with 10th Cavalry, in action at San Juan, Cuba, 1 July 1898. Sergeant Smith, with utter disregard for his personal safety and while exposed to heavy fire of shell and small arms from the enemy, deliberately cut the fence or obstruction consisting of four or five strands of barbed wire on top of an almost perpendicular bank, thus enabling Troop A, 10th Cavalry, U.S. Army, to advance and take the position to which ordered.