The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Chief Electrician’s Mate Charles Edward Smith (NSN: 3205576), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while detached for service with the United Forces in the Philippines, in the vicinity of Quinauan Point, Bataan, Philippine Islands, on 8 February 1942. When it became necessary to coordinate an attack from seaward with the operations of ground forces in breaking the resistance of a defiladed and strongly held enemy position, Chief Electrician’s Mate Smith was charged with directing the fire of the bow guns from across an exposed position outside the gun shields. During the entire operation this intrepid Bluejacket maintained accurate and voluminous fire from his exposed post in the bow of the boat despite heavy enemy fire from the beach, and several hostile dive bombing attacks. On the return trip, after completion of the mission, chief Electrician’s Mate Smith took a machine gun position in an open part of the boat where he ignored considerations of personal safety in firing at dive bombers as they came in to attack, thereby driving off two such attacks. On one occasion, seeing bombs falling toward the boat, Chief Electrician’s Mate Smith pushed a crew member into a protected spot which was available to him, thereby saving his companion’s life at the expense of his own. This valiant Bluejacket was killed only after having contributed in large measure to the success of this vital enterprise.