The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Ensign Charles Hazeltine Hammann, United States Navy (Reserve Force), for extraordinary heroism as a Pilot of a seaplane on 21 August 1918, when with three other planes Ensign Hammann took part in a patrol and attacked a superior force of enemy land planes. In the course of the engagement which followed, the plane of Ensign George M. Ludlow was shot down and fell in the water five miles off Pola, Austria. Ensign Hammann immediately dived down and landed on the water close alongside the disabled machine, where he took Ludlow on board. Although his machine was not designed for the double load to which it was subjected, and although there was danger of attack by Austrian planes, he made his way to Porto Corsini.