By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), Sergeant John A. Keach, 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 Company M, 38th Infantry Regiment, 3d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, on 15 July 1918, and the days following until the German retreat, Sergeant Keach repeatedly volunteered to lead the reconnoitering and combat patrols to prevent German infiltration, being uniformly successful in accomplishing his mission. On 22 July 1918, near Franquet Farm, when a rout of the company was attempted by a German spy circulating a false order, Sergeant Keach, by display of coolness and bravery, kept his section of the platoon together in the face of severe machine gun fire and a fierce counterattack by the Germans, until a line was rallied and the Germans repulsed.