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 Flying Cadet Francis H. MacDuff, U.S. Army Air Corps, for heroism while participating in an aerial flight as a member of the 88th Observation Squadron, while piloting an airplane from March Field, California, en route to Brooks Field, Texas, on 22 June 1935. With his airplane in flames, Cadet MacDuff, disregarding his own personal danger, maneuvered the burning airplane in such manner that the accompanying passengers were enabled to jump and land safely with parachute. By the time Cadet MacDuff was enabled to clear the airplane, it had descended so low that he struck the ground in the first opening swing of the parachute, but without injury.