John H. Stevens

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to John H. Stevens, Second Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Chateau-Thierry, France, July 2, 1918. Lieutenant Stevens, with four other pilots, attacked 12 enemy aircraft (type Pfalz) flying in two groups well within the enemy lines. As soon as the enemy planes were sighted Lieutenant Stevens maneuvered to get between them and the sun, and with great difficulty gained the advantage. While three of the other American officers dived on the lower formation Lieutenant Stevens and Second Lieutenant Kenneth L. Porter engaged the upper formation in a bold and brilliant combat, two planes of which they crashed to the earth.