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) John Joseph Quinn, United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 139th Aero Squadron, 4th Pursuit Group, U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., near Bantheville, France, 23 October 1918. While patrolling the lines, Lieutenant Quinn, with one other pilot, sighted and attacked four enemy machines (Fokker type). Several additional enemy planes joined the first four, and, notwithstanding his great odds, he sent one machine crashing to the earth. Motor trouble forced him to drive straight through the enemy formation, and, although followed and his machine badly damaged, he was able to outmaneuver and escape from his adversaries.