The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Second Lieutenant (Air Corps) Willard W. Lazarus, U.S. Army Air Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, on 5 March 1940. While flying at an altitude of about 2,500 feet above sea level over mountainous terrain which reduced the effective altitude over the hills to a much lesser amount, both engines of the Army airplane which he was piloting suddenly stopped. With utter disregard of his personal safety Lieutenant Lazarus ordered his four passengers and sergeant crew chief to leave the airplane by parachute while he himself remained at the controls and by his great coolness and skill maneuvered the airplane in such a manner as to permit the four passengers to jump safely. Lieutenant Lazarus then landed so skillfully that the airplane was not seriously damaged. The display of courage and coolness by Lieutenant Lazarus on this occasion averted destruction of valuable Government property, was in accord with the highest traditions of the Air corps of the Army of the United States, and reflected great credit upon himself and the military service.