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 Staff Sergeant [then Private First Class] Edward Francis Jeffers, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on the Burauen-Dagami Road, Leyte, Philippine Islands, on 25 October 1944. A platoon from Company C was moving forward when it was struck by machine gun fire from a nearby hill. As the platoon sought cover, Private First Class Jeffers, an automatic rifleman with the flanking squad, noticed several Japanese soldiers moving to get behind them. He immediately leaped to his feet and opened fire on the enemy squad, neutralizing them. Then he noticed another group of Japanese in a nearby trench firing on his platoon. He raced forward under Japanese fire to the lip of the trench and opened fire, killing several and forcing the rest to withdraw. Then he saw that one of the platoons’ wounded lay fully exposed to enemy fire and could not be reached by litter bearers. He ran to the wounded man and set up to protect him until the fight was over, at the same time administering first aid. Staff Sergeant Jeffers’ extraordinary heroism, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 7th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.