John A. Hambleton

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to John A. Hambleton, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action at Liron, France, May 28, 1918. Lieutenant Hambleton, accompanied by Lieutenant Taylor, while answering an alert to Lironville, France, encountered five enemy airplanes in the vicinity of St. Mihiel. As the American airplanes approached the enemy turned away. Lieutenant Hambleton and Lieutenant Taylor followed, and at Pont-a-Mousson again over took the enemy, one airplane flying at 1,500 meters, two at 2,000 meters, and the remaining two at 2,500 meters. Lieutenant Hambleton attacked the lowest airplane, firing 20 rounds and driving it from the formation. An enemy bullet shot the cross section of wires from his airplane, the splinters from the bullet cutting his cheek and right shoulder. Notwithstanding his wounds and the disabled condition of his airplane, he continued to fight until the enemy was driven to its own lines.

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to John A. Hambleton, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Gironville, France, June 6, 1918. After becoming separated from his patrol, on account of misty weather, Lieutenant Hambleton was flying in the region of Gironville when he encountered two enemy biplane machines. He engaged them in a sharp combat despite the fact that he was being subjected to the concentrated fire of both biplanes. He pulled away and was maneuvering for a better position when the biplanes started into Germany and he promptly chased them across the lines, thereby preventing them from performing a photographic mission. On the same date in the region of Grissolles, while leading a patrol, Lieutenant Hambleton encountered a formation of five enemy pursuit airplanes. He gallantly led the attack, and after a short and decisive fight with one enemy airplane, during which time he was subjected to the concentrated fire of the other enemy airplanes, he drove it to the ground, where it crashed. Still undaunted, he returned and, without hesitation or fear, repeatedly attacked the remainder of the enemy formation until he had forced it to retire in disorder. The rare courage and superb devotion to duty displayed by Lieutenant Hambleton greatly inspired the members of his squadron.