(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps) Charles Andrews Sprague (ASN: 0-20769), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-40 Fighter Airplane in the 17th Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, FAR EAST Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces in 1942, over Bali in the Southwest Pacific Area of Operations. On that day, Lieutenant Colonel Sprague led a group of sixteen P-40 fighters on a mission to protect bombers attacking the Japanese landing on the southern coast of Bali. As the group approached Denpasar Airfield from the sea, it was intercepted by 36 Japanese Zeroes and, in the dogfight that followed, his P-40 was shot down by Zeros and crashed near Sampalan. Lieutenant Colonel Sprague’s unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.