The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Commander Charles Walter Brewer (NSN: 0-73306), United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. Commander Brewer, as Commanding Officer of Fighting Squadron FIFTEEN (VF-15), led his squadron in almost continuous air operations against the enemy from 11 June 1944 until he was missing in action on 19 June 1944. On 19 June 1944, in the approximate position Lat. 17-31 N and Long 144-10 E he led the second of two group air attacks on an enemy convoy which resulted in the destruction of about 40,000 tons of enemy merchant shipping, destroyed at least one destroyer and three escort vessels, and damaged numerous others. His timely coordination and inspiring leadership were in a large part responsible for this major catastrophe to the enemy merchant fleet. His initiation of and persistence in the devastating strafing attack resulted in such major damage to an enemy destroyer that it completely disintegrated on the spot. Immediately after landing aboard upon the completion of this action, Commander Brewer was informed that a sizeable enemy force was engaged in combat with our planes near the Island of Guam. Although at that time, only seven fighting planes remained on board that were in commission, Commander Brewer immediately drew up a task organization and was himself catapulted with the other six planes and proceeded to the assistance of those of our aircraft in the vicinity of Guam. Upon arrival there he found that his seven planes were the only friendly planes remaining in the vicinity to engage with the numerically superior enemy. His quick planning and timely execution enabled this small group to either destroy or rout all enemy planes then present. During this engagement he himself accounted for two enemy planes. Unfortunately, of the original group of seven, only five returned to the ship, Commander Brewer’s plane being one of those missing.

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander Charles Walter Brewer (NSN: 0-73306), United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as pilot of a United States Navy Fighter Plane in offensive action against an enemy submarine on 20 October 1943. Lieutenant Commander Brewer was flying on an anti-submarine patrol flight when the pilot of a companion plane sighted a surfaced enemy submarine. Immediately on having his attention attracted to the U-Boat, Lieutenant Commander Brewer commenced an effective strafing attack. Concentrating accurate machine gun fire on the conning tower, he prevented the enemy’s anti-aircraft guns from being manned. During the strafing attack over a thousand rounds of machine gun bullets were fired at close range at the enemy resulting in a violent explosion and flame which filled and enveloped the conning tower and superstructure. The aggressiveness and accuracy displayed by Lieutenant Commander Brewer in making a deadly strafing attack, thereby damaging and preventing the hostile U-Boat from taking up defensive anti-aircraft fire against the attacking bomber, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Commander Charles Walter Brewer (NSN: 0-73306), United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a Pilot in Composite Squadron THIRTEEN (VC-13). At about 1530 on 13 July 1943, two U.S. Navy Fighter Planes and two U.S. Navy Torpedo Bombers strafed and bombed a German submarine discovered fully surfaced. Lieutenant Robert Pershing Williams, U.S.N.R., made a torpedo bombing run which seriously disabled the submarine and prevented it from submerging. Lieutenant Commander Brewer and Lieutenant Julius Rueben Brownstein, USN, Fighter Pilots, strafed all anti-aircraft gun crew on board the disabled submarine. These attacks were so successful as to permit a depth charging bombing attack by a U.S. Navy Torpedo Bomber, piloted by Lieutenant, Junior Grade, James Frank Sehoby, which resulted in the complete destruction of the submarine.