The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant (Air Corps) William W. Caldwell, U.S. Army Air Corps (Reserve), for heroism while participating in an aerial flight. Lieutenant Caldwell, together with Lieutenant Irvin A. Woodring, Air Corps, was selected to carry out secret orders give by the war department to receive a document of international importance at Vancouver, Canada, on 15 October 1930, and deliver it to representatives of the state department at Newark, Jew Jersey, not later than noon 18 October. The orders given to the pilots stressed the necessity of disregarding the ordinary peacetime precautions in order to get the document to it’s destination on scheduled time. Extremely hazardous flying conditions were encountered in Wyoming, snow and sleet destroying all visibility from the ground to an altitude of 16,000 feet. Although the airplanes being used in the flight were of pursuit type, selected for speed and not suitable for extensive blind flying, and the pilots realized the dangers involved. They were determined to take no chances in delaying the successful accomplishment of their mission. Lieutenant Caldwell remained with his flight leader until the total lack of visibility caused a separation between them, and he crashed to Earth at 2:15 p.m. 15 October 1930, about one and a half miles east of Lookout, Albany County, Wyoming, and was killed. Lieutenant Caldwell’s Disregard of danger in his endeavor to carry out successfully his important mission was in accordance with the best traditions of the Air Corps and reflects great credit on himself and the United States Army.