Willis A. Diekema

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Willis A. Diekema, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action in the region of Metz, France, September 15, 1918. While on a photographic mission Lieutenant Diekema’s formation was attacked by a superior number of enemy aircraft. In the course of the combat Lieutenant Diekema’s companion planes were driven off. Disregarding the fact that his machine was without protection, he continued on his mission until his observer, Lieutenant Hammond, had completed the photographs. On the return they fought their way through an enemy patrol and destroyed one of the machines.