The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Corporal Charles D. Sadler (MCSN: 2130908), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as a Machine Gun Team Leader with the Third Platoon, Company A, First Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in the Republic of Vietnam on 21 May 1966. Corporal Sadler’s platoon participated in a heli-lift to a position in order to block the withdrawal of a large enemy force operating in the area. When the helicopters landed in an open rice paddy, the area was immediately subjected to intense mortar and automatic weapons fire from Viet Cong positioned on all sides of the landing zone. More than twenty Marine casualties were inflicted in the first few minutes of the savage action. With exceptional composure and presence of mind in the tense situation, Corporal Sadler quickly took charge of his team and began returning fire, fearlessly exposing himself to the enemy to accomplish his task. When supplies of ammunition were depleted, he directed Marines around him to retrieve that which had been carried by the casualties, and twice he braved the withering fire to recover ammunition from wounded men who were lying in the exposed rice paddy. On one occasion he spotted a Viet Cong running from a tree line with a machine gun and reacting instantly, Corporal Sadler stood in the midst of the grazing fire and fired his machine gun from an offhand position, felling the enemy. Finding that only Five other Marines in his immediate vicinity were not dead or wounded, he organized the small group and on two separate occasions attempted to mount an assault against the nearest Viet Cong position. Realizing the futility of further attempts, he judiciously directed the men to dig in and save two magazines of ammunition, ordered all rocket misfires to be stacked in the position for last second detonation, and instructed his men to stand by for a probably physical assault by the enemy. His daring initiative and relentless fighting spirit served to inspire and encourage all who observed him, and were instrumental in preventing the enemy from overrunning the position. His resolute effort contributed in large measure to the eventual entrapment of the enemy force, resulting in fifty-three Viet Cong killed and seventeen weapons captured. By his extraordinary courage in the face of extreme danger, bold initiative, and unwavering dedication to duty throughout, Corporal Sadler upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.