The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Ensign Kerfoot Bainbridge Smith, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession on the occasion of a six-inch gun casualty in the U.S.S. MARBLEHEAD on 28 July 1936. On the fourth salvo of the Scheduled Light Cruiser Gunner School firing, No 6 six-inch gun sustained a breech-plug casualty which resulted in the death of three men and injury to several others. As the salvo was fired an explosion at the breach end of the gun took place destroying the firing lock, the carrier and the plug operating assembly. The gun compartment was filled with smoke, gases and flying pieces of metal. In the compartment were unused powder charges, one in the hands of the first powderman awaiting the next loading. The force of the explosion blew the powder charge out of the arms of the first powderman and took the tops off the three powder tanks on deck, forcing the tanks to the rear and exposing the powder charges. Ensign Smith, battery officer at the time, although suffering from lacerations on the face caused by flying bits of metal, grasped the exposed charge as it fell from the powderman’s arms and carried it out of the smoke-filled compartment and at the same time ordered water to be turned on in the belief that fire would occur. His action was instantaneous and his primary reaction was solely one of forgetfulness of self and thought of the prevention of further casualty to personnel and material.