The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Albert E. Elsea (ASN: 1446131), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company B, 129th Machine-Gun Battalion, 35th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, during the Meuse-Argonne offensive, 12 October 1918. Second Lieutenant Elsea took up a position exposed to heavy machine-gun and artillery fire in order to direct the fire of his machine guns. Although knocked down twice by concussion of high-explosive shells, he continued at his position. On 15 October 1918, he gathered a squad of strugglers under fire and led them, together with his own unit, to their objectives.