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 (Field Artillery) Samuel A. Bowman, United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 12th Aero Squadron (Attached), U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., in the Aire Valley, near Fleville, France, 4 October 1918. Lieutenant Bowman displayed remarkable bravery and devotion to duty while on an Infantry contact patrol mission. Heavy machine-gun fire was encountered from the enemy position in Fleville. The plane was pierced many times and Lieutenant Bowman was severely wounded, but in spite of this fact he continued on his mission until the front line was located, after which he wrote and dropped clear and accurate messages to division and corps command posts, giving valuable and timely information.