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 Sergeant William Wincenciak (MCSN: 151815), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the Twenty-Third Company, Sixth Machine-Gun Battalion, Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., in action near Blanc Mont, France, 4 October 1918. When his platoon commander was killed Sergeant Wincenciak took charge of the platoon under heavy shell fire, but was immediately seriously wounded. He then turned over his orders to next in command, ordered stretcher bearers to carry another man away first, and waited until they had returned.