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) Martinus Stenseth, United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 28th Aero Squadron, 3d Pursuit Group, U.S. Army Air Service, A.E.F., over the Argonne Forest, France, 22 October 1918. Lieutenant Stenseth went to the rescue of a French plane attacked by six enemy Fokker planes with twelve additional enemy planes hovering in reserve. Attacking the enemy with vigor, single handed, he drove down and destroyed one enemy plane and put to flight the remainder. His gallant act in the face of overwhelming odds proved an inspiration to the men of his squadron.