The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant (MC) (Retired), [then Lieutenant, Junior Grade] Charles Robert Locke, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism as Battalion Medical Officer of First Battalion, Fourteenth Marines, FOUIRTH Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, on 20 February 1945. Voluntarily leaving his covered position and entering a shelled area to aid an adjacent unit which was suffering heavy casualties from intense enemy artillery and mortar fire, Lieutenant Locke efficiently treated the wounded under a continuous bombardment of enemy shells and, reentering the deadly barrage four times, assisted in carrying casualties to the evacuation station. Later, he directed the loading of those wounded men into a landing craft. When conditions resulting from a sudden enemy barrage threatened to leave the boat in danger of broaching in the surf, he disregarded the continuing enemy fire and, with the help of another man, returned all the casualties to the relative cover of the beach until they could be evacuated safely. By his cool courage and inspiring leadership, Lieutenant Locke contributed materially to the saving of many lives. His devotion to duty throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.