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 Corporal Edward Joseph Melcher (MCSN: 106396), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the Forty-Seventh Company, Fifth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., in action near Chateau-Thierry, France, 25 June 1918. Wounded in the head and thigh, Corporal Melcher nevertheless continued valiantly to lead his group through machine-gun and rifle fire to their objective.