John B. Lee

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to John B. Lee, Second Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Mezieres, France, November 3, 1918. Lieutenant Lee exhibited extreme courage in the course of a long and dangerous photographic and visual reconnaissance in the region of Mezieres with two other planes of the 24th Aero Squadron. Their formation was broken by the attack of ten enemy pursuit planes; five enemy planes attacked Lieutenant Lee and his pilot. With remarkable coolness Lieutenant Lee succeed ed in shooting down two of the planes. They then had a clear passage to their own lines, but turned back into Germany to assist a friendly plane with several hostile aircraft attacking it. They succeeded in shooting down one more of the enemy. Lieutenant Lee and pilot returned to our lines with information and photographs of great military value.