The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Karl B. Coleman, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and conspicuous devotion to duty while serving as a Medical Corpsman attached to the FIRST Marine Raider Battalion during action against enemy Japanese forces at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 8, 13 and 14 September 1942. On 8 September Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Coleman moved forward under heavy hostile artillery, machine-gun and sniper fire to render aid to a comrade, thereby saving his life. Again, on 13 September, as a company corpsman attached to a front-line company, he exposed himself constantly to enemy fire from all directions to care for and evacuate the wounded. As a result of his dauntless courage and outstanding devotion to duty, Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Coleman undoubtedly saved the lives of many of the injured who otherwise might have perished. His courage and efforts in behalf of others at great risk to his own life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.