The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Rear Admiral Charles Clifford Hartman, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States as Commander Gunfire Support Group in operations against enemy forces in North Korea from 18 August to 27 October 1950. Rear Admiral Hartman skillfully deployed his ships to obtain maximum utilization of their fire power, and directed damaging naval bombardments against enemy installations along the east coast of Korea. By his thorough analysis of the enemy ground situation and by maneuvering his forces with speed and deception to meet changes in the enemy situation ashore, Rear Admiral Hartman denied the enemy forces coastal movement by land and sea, protected the flanks of friendly ground units on the east coast of Korea and provided intense and accurate naval gunfire support.



