Horace Borden

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Horace Borden, Second Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Cunel, France, October 29, 1918. While carrying out a difficult contact mission without the protection of friendly planes, Lieutenant Borden was attacked by three hostile machines, which he succeeded in driving off. He secured the information he sought, but while attempting to fire a signal rocket it exploded, setting the machine on fire. Lieutenant Borden crawled back on the fuselage of the machine and extinguished the flames with his bare hands. Although suffering real pain he refused to be sent to the rear for treatment but remained on duty with his squadron.