Percival G. Hart

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Percival G. Hart, Second Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action during the battle of the St. Mihiel salient, France, September 12 – 13, 1918. On September 12 Lieutenant Hart made three Infantry liaison patrols and obtained valuable information he conveyed to organization commanders. Bad weather conditions necessitated flying at a very low altitude, but in spite of this and repeated attacks by superior numbers of enemy aircraft, he drove them off by his accurate fire and accomplished his mission. On September 13 he unhesitatingly went to the assistance of three allied planes which were being attacked by a large patrol of the enemy, and by his steady fire drove off the enemy patrol and enabled the three allied planes to return.