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) James R. McKay, United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 49th Aero Squadron, 2d Pursuit Group, U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., near Doulcon, France, 4 October 1918. When a patrol of seven planes attacked a group of 17 enemy planes (Fokker type) Lieutenant McKay left the combat after his plane was crippled by enemy fire and remained above to protect from that direction. Without regard to his own danger he attacked alone five more enemy planes which dived into the combat and, pressing the attack, succeeded in breaking up their formation and shooting down one of the enemy planes.