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 (Infantry) Phillip Austin Henderson, United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 106th Aero Squadron (Attached), U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., in the Toul sector, France, 28 August 1918. While on an unprotected reconnaissance mission with Lieutenant Edward Orr, pilot, Lieutenant Henderson encountered a patrol of eight enemy pursuit planes near the American balloon lines. When Lieutenant Orr attacked the planes, which had dived at the American balloon, Lieutenant Henderson engaged the other eight enemy machines, which were attacking from the rear. In the violent battle which followed all nine of the enemy were driven off.