The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Chief Gunner’s Mate Axel Peterson, United States Navy, for distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commander of the Armed Guard of the S.S. Eurana, and in an encounter with an enemy submarine. On 27 August 1917, the submarine was sighted, the ship fired two shots, and the submarine disappeared. Later in the night, a submarine was sighted, but the ship escaped in the darkness without action.