The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Air Service) Byrne Virchow Baucom, United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 1st Aero Squadron, U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., in the Chateau-Thierry and St Mihiel Salients, France. Lieutenant Baucom, with First Lieutenant William P. Erwin, pilot, by a long period of faithful and heroic operations, set an inspiring example of courage and devotion to duty to his entire squadron. Throughout the Chateau-Thierry actions in June and July, 1918, he flew under the worst weather conditions and successfully carried out his missions in the face of heavy odds. In the St. Mihiel sector, September 12-16, 1918, he repeated his previous courageous work. He flew as low as 50 feet from the ground behind the enemy’s lines, harassing German troops with machine guns. He twice drove off enemy planes which were attempting to destroy an American observation balloon. On September 12-13, 1918, he flew at extremely low altitudes and carried out infantry contact patrols successfully. Again on September 12 he attacked a German battery, forced the crew to abandon it, shot off his horse a German officer who was trying to escape, drove the cannoneers to their dugouts, and kept them there until the infantry could come up and capture them.

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 Captain (Air Service) Byrne Virchow Baucom, United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 1st Aero Squadron, U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., near Sedan, France, 5 November 1918. With atmospheric conditions such that flying was nearly impossible, Captain Baucom voluntarily undertook a flight as observer to locate the position of enemy troops and machine-gun nests which had been holding up our advance and causing severe casualties. Forced to fly at a very low altitude and subjected to almost constant anti-aircraft, and rifle fire, he obtained the information that was vital to the success of our operations, and dropped the message at division headquarters. He then penetrated far into the enemy lines, and opening fire upon enemy crews routed them from a series of machine-gun nests. When his machine was finally shot down, he succeeded in operating the gun, and beat off an attack by the enemy in force. Armed only with revolvers and German grenades which they found in an enemy emplacement, he and his pilot then worked their way back to the American lines with valuable information, repeatedly subjected to enemy fire on their way.