Harlou P. Neibling

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Harlou P. Neibling, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for repeated acts of extraordinary heroism in action at Brouville, France, September 2, 1918, and near Fort Du Marre, France, September 26, 1918. While Lieutenant Neibling was making an aerial reconnaissance from a balloon, he was repeatedly attacked by enemy planes, two of which dived at the balloon and opened fire with incendiary bullets. With great coolness he fired at one of them with his pistol and took a picture of the plane with his camera. When the balloon took fire he was forced to jump, but he took two more pictures on the way down in spite of being fired upon. He re-ascended as soon as a new balloon could be inflated. On September 26 this officer was again attacked while conducting a reglage, but hanging from the basket with one arm he fired his pistol at one of the enemy planes and jumped only when his balloon burst into flames. He immediately continued his mission in another balloon.