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) Francis W. Pratt, United States Army, is cited by the Commanding General, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. First Lieutenant Pratt distinguished himself by gallantry in action while serving with Adjutant, 2d Battalion, 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in action near Bellicourt, France, 29 September 1918, in running in front of a tank, which was firing at them under the impression they were Germans, causing the tank operators to see their mistake and stop firing, thereby saving the lives of these officers and men.