The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Private First Class Charles Meredeth Shepperd (MCSN: 333270), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism and conspicuous devotion to duty while serving as member of a Rifle Company of the First Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 2 November 1942. While one company of Marines was engaged in a flanking movement on an enemy position which was holding up the advance of the battalion, and another, in frontal assault, was pinned down by machine gun and artillery fire, Private First Class Shepperd’s company was committed to action. During the fighting, when the third platoon withdrew preparatory to the firing of a mortar concentration, he remained in position, brought automatic rifle fire to bear on a Japanese machine gun nest and killed its crew of five men. He then advanced, captured the machine gun and carried it back to our lines. His cool courage and utter disregard of personal safety contributed materially to our cause and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.