Mitchell H. Brown

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Mitchell H. Brown, Second Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Beffu et la Morthomme, France, October 23, 1918. Lieutenant Brown, observer, piloted by Lieutenant Phillips, while on a reconnaissance for the 78th Division, attacked an enemy balloon and forced it to descend. They were in turn attacked by three enemy planes (Fokker type). The incendiary bullets from the enemy’s machine set the signal rockets in Lieutenant Brown’s cockpit afire. Disregarding the flames, he continued to fire, destroying one enemy plane and forcing the others to retire. He then used the extinguisher handed him by his pilot and put out the flames. They successfully completed their mission and secured valuable information.