The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Captain Robert S. Lytle, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of Squadron C, FIRST Marine Aviation Force, at the Front in bombing raids into enemy territory. On 2 October 1918, when word was received that a body of French troops had been cut off from supplies for two days by the enemy, and it was decided to feed them by aeroplane, Captain Lytle flew over the besieged troops at an altitude of only one hundred feet and dropped food where these troops could get it. This performance as repeated four times, each time under heavy fire from rifles, machine guns and artillery on the ground. On 14 October 1918, while leading a raid of seven planes near Pittham, Belgium, his plane and one other became separated from their formation on account of motor trouble, and were attacked by twelve enemy scout planes. Captain Lytle shot down one of the enemy planes, and before his motor quit entirely, landed under fire in the Belgian front line trenches.