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 First Lieutenant (Air Service) Benjamin Porter Harwood, United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 12th Aero Squadron, U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., near Chateau-Thierry, France, 5 July 1918. Lieutenant Harwood volunteered with another plane to protect a photograph plane. In the course of their mission they were attacked by seven planes (Fokker type). Lieutenant Harwood accepted the combat and kept the enemy engaged while the photographic plane completed its mission. His guns jammed and he himself was seriously wounded. After skillfully clearing his guns, with his plane badly damaged, he fought off the hostile planes and enabled the photographic plane to return to our lines with valuable information.