By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), First Lieutenant (Infantry) William Ryan, United States Army, is cited by the Commanding General, 3d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the World War I Victory Medals awarded him. While serving with the 38th Infantry Regiment, 3d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Romagne, France, 9 October 1918, although severely wounded, Lieutenant Ryan led his platoon through a heavy shell and machine gun fire, and, by his example, held the platoon intact and accomplished a difficult mission of capturing or destroying several machine guns.