The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Charles Herman Mester, Jr., United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Dive Bomber and as Strike leader of a Flight of fourteen Bomber Planes of Bombing Squadron NINETY-FOUR (VB-94), attached to the U.S.S. LEXINGTON (CV-16), in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Inland Sea, Kure, Japan, on 28 July 1945. Leading his flight in an attack on a large enemy battleship in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire, Lieutenant Commander Mester pressed home a determined attack to score a direct hit with a heavy caliber bomb, causing vital damage to the vessel. By his skillful leadership of fighter, bomber and torpedo aircraft, he contributed materially to the damaging of an enemy cruiser, aircraft carrier and battleship. His gallant fighting spirit and courageous devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.