Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster for a combat bombing mission on 28 October 1944. While serving as Pilot of a B-17 airplane on a bombing mission over Germany his airplane was struck by flak on the bombing run. The left aileron was rendered completely inoperative, gasoline tanks in the left-wing were damaged and a large hole was torn in the left-wing. The left side of the radio room was riddled by fragments of anti-aircraft fire. The radio equipment and ball turret junction box were damaged and set on fire. The oxygen system in the waist section exploded and burned. Four crew members were wounded. In spite of the damage sustained and the disability of four gunners, he minimized confusion and completed the bombing run. The return flight was initiated and Lt. Tebbel skillfully flew the badly damaged airplane back to home base.