The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant Charles C. Ward (MCSN: 0-30663), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Pilot of an unarmed Helicopter in Marine Observation Squadron SIX (VMO-6), during operations against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 4 December 1950. Unhesitatingly volunteering to attempt the rescue of a downed Marine fighter pilot in enemy infested territory ten miles north of the Chosin Reservoir, First Lieutenant Ward arrived at the scene of the crash shortly after sundown and found a second Marine fighter pilot had crash-landed near the first downed plane and was attempting to extricate the injured pilot from his pinned-in-position. With the plane burning fiercely and expected to explode at any minute, he worked desperately to free the pilot whose leg was caught in the wreckage and, when it became evident that there was no possible way of saving him, and with darkness rapidly closing in, was forced to pick up the second pilot and return to his base. His daring initiative, cool courage and grave concern for another at great risk to his own life reflect the highest credit upon First Lieutenant Ward and the United States Naval Service.