The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant (Air Service) Hugh L. Fontaine, United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 49th Aero Squadron, 2d Pursuit Group, U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., near Champigneulles, France, 10 October 1918. While leading a patrol of three other machines Lieutenant Fontaine attacked four enemy planes in the region of Champigneulles. He succeeded in shooting down two of the enemy planes in flames. The first of these he shot down in the initial attack. The second he attacked while it was endeavoring to shoot down one of our planes which had been rendered helpless by the loss of one of its wings. He dived on the attacking plane and shot it down in flames.


