The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Ensign G. S. Hodges, United States Navy (Reserve Force), for distinguished service in the line of his profession as Second Pilot of Plane No. 8685, operating off Killingholme, England, on 28 October 1818. Another plane, carrying a crew of four men, fell to the water from a considerable height and was wrecked, the occupants being pinned under the debris, and shortly afterwards the gasoline, which covered the surface of the water, took fire. Plane No. 8685 immediately made a landing close to the wreck, and Ensign Hodges dove overboard and came up in the midst of the burning gasoline, seeking to rescue the men of the wrecked plane. He continued diving, completely disregarding the danger to himself and only desisted when it was certain that nothing was to be accomplished by continuing longer.