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 A. Van de Vyvere, Belgian Minister of Finance, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States, during World War I, as the Minister of Finance in Belgium. A grave situation having arisen with reference to a lack of steam motive power for the American Expeditionary Forces, Mr. Van de Vyvere succeeded in providing the American forces through the Belgian Government with a large number of locomotives, thus contributing in a conspicuous way to the successful operations of the allied cause.