The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Charles W. King (MCSN: 0-102049), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Platoon Commander with Company L, Third Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 14 April 1968, while assaulting North Vietnamese positions on Hill 881 North, Second Lieutenant King’s platoon encountered a heavy enemy grenade attack and intense machine gun fire. Realizing the important of maintaining the momentum of the attack, he aggressively led his men forward, advancing to a position near the crest of the hill where he was wounded in the leg by fragments from an exploding grenade. Ignoring his painful injury, he continued to encourage his men and boldly entered an enemy bunker and personally killed four North Vietnamese soldiers. His daring actions enabled his platoon to seize its objective, routing an estimated two enemy companies from the area. By his exemplary leadership, bold courage and selfless devotion to duty at great personal risk, Second Lieutenant King was instrumental in the accomplishment of his unit’s mission and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.