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 Second Lieutenant (Air Service) Frank Kerr Hays, United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 13th Aero Squadron, 2d Pursuit Group, U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., in the region of Chambley, France, 13 September 1918. Lieutenant Hays was one of an offensive patrol of five planes, attacked by seven enemy scouts (Fokker type), that dived down on them from the clouds, catching the American patrol in a disadvantageous position. In the course of the combat which followed, both of Lieutenant Hays' machine guns jammed. By an extraordinary effort he cleared his guns and drove off the adversary. He then observed his flight commander in a dangerous situation with two enemy planes behind him. He attacked and destroyed one and forced the other to withdraw
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 Second Lieutenant (Air Service) Frank Kerr Hays, United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 13th Aero Squadron, 2d Pursuit Group, U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., in the region of Chambley, France, 13 September 1918. Lieutenant Hays was one of an offensive patrol of five planes, attacked by seven enemy scouts (Fokker type), that dived down on them from the clouds, catching the American patrol in a disadvantageous position. In the course of the combat which followed, both of Lieutenant Hays' machine guns jammed. By an extraordinary effort he cleared his guns and drove off the adversary. He then observed his flight commander in a dangerous situation with two enemy planes behind him. He attacked and destroyed one and forced the other to withdraw
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2nd Lieutenant
U.S. Army
World War I
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