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 Second Lieutenant (Air Service) Horace Leroy Borden, United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 90th Aero Squadron, U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., near Cunel, France, 29 October 1918. While carrying out a difficult contact mission without the protection of friendly planes, Lieutenant Borden was attacked by three hostile machines, which he succeeded in driving off. He secured the information he sought, but while attempting to fire a signal rocket it exploded, setting the machine on fire. Lieutenant Borden crawled back on the fuselage of the machine and extinguished the flames with his bare hands. Although suffering real pain he refused to be sent to the rear for treatment but remained on duty with his squadron.