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 Second Lieutenant (Air Corps) Charles William Spencer (ASN: 0-667364), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Bombardier of a B-17 Heavy Bomber in the 358th Bombardment Squadron, 303d Bombardment Group (H), EIGHTH Air Force, while participating in a bombing mission on 26 November 1943, against enemy targets in Germany. On that date, a 20-mm. shell exploded in the nose of Second Lieutenant Spencer’s bomber, killing the navigator, seriously injuring Lieutenant Spencer, and destroying the Plexiglas nose. The flight engineer removed Lieutenant Spencer to a position of safety, but Lieutenant Spencer, realizing that enemy fighters were attacking and thinking only of protecting his crew members and the plane, crawled back to his guns to ward off the attacks. Exposing himself to the extreme cold blast through the nose, and facing the possibility of being thrown out by evasive action, Lieutenant Spencer remained at his post until the attacks ceased. In doing so, Lieutenant Spencer sustained frostbite so severe that only by the barest margin were surgeons able to save his life. The personal courage and zealous devotion to duty displayed by Second Lieutenant Spencer on this occasion have upheld the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 8th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.