The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Ensign Charles M. Ulrich, United States Naval Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as Commanding Officer of the United States Navy Armed Guard aboard a U.S. Merchant vessel during World War II. Under a bursting hail of falling bombs and strafing fire from several planes which dipped out of the clouds in a vigorous attack upon the convoy of which his ship was a part, Ensign Ulrich, manning a .50-caliber machine gun in the after port pill box, kept the ships guns blazing until concussion from encircling explosions knocked out here steering gear, opened he plates and let in the sea. Courageously standing by to supervise abandonment of the sinking vessel, he was the last man to go over the side. Overhead, while the lifeboats were pulling away, a German dive-bomber swept low, riddled the listing ship with incendiary bullets, then climbed off through the clouds, leaving it to burst in flame. By his courageous conduct and unfailing presence of mind, Ensign Ulrich contributed to the aggressive fighting spirit which enabled his crew to maintain timely and effective fire against overwhelming odds and to emerge from a perilous encounter without personnel injury or loss of life. His gallant actions and selfless devotion to duty, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.