The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Colonel Gaston Fournier, French Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States, during World War I. Colonel Fournier rendered specially meritorious service as Chief of Staff of the French Mission. He organized the business side of the mission, the arrangements for meetings, the editing, distributing, and filing of notes with skill, accuracy, and dispatch.