The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant (Air Service) Russell L. Maughan, U.S. Army Air Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight. Lieutenant Maughan departed from Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York, at 2:58 a.m. Eastern standard time, on 23 June 1924, in a modified service type pursuit airplane on the dawn-to-dusk flight, and landed at Crissy Field, San Francisco, California, at 9:47 p.m. Pacific time, the same date. He flew over 2,540 miles in 21 hours and 48 and a half minutes, thereby making the fastest time ever made by man between New York and San Francisco.
Sponsored by:
Awards Received
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Distinguished Service Cross
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Distinguished Service Cross
Service:
United States Army Air ServiceRank:
First Lieutenant (Air Service)Batallion:
138th Aero SquadronDivision:
American Expeditionary ForcesAction Date:
October 27, 1918
War Department, General Orders No. 46 (1919), Amended Supplement 1The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant (Air Service) Russell Lowell Maughan, United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 138th Aero Squadron, U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., near Sommerance, France, 27 October 1918. Accompanied by two other planes, Lieutenant Maughan was patrolling our lines, when he saw slightly below him an enemy plane (Fokker type). When he started an attack upon it he was attacked from behind by four more of the enemy. By several well-directed shots he sent one of his opponents to the earth, and, although the forces of the enemy were again increased by seven planes, he so skillfully maneuvered that he was able to escape toward his lines. While returning he attacked and brought down an enemy plane which was diving on our trenches.