The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Charles W. Garnham (ASN: 0-1306283), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company F, 2d Battalion, 142d Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division. On 13 June 1944 near Magliano, Italy, Company F was assigned the mission of entering and capturing the city of Magliano. This task was rendered doubly hazardous by the firmly entrenched, strongly fortified enemy defenses and by the forty-foot wall which surrounded the town. Lieutenant Garnham was instructed to lead his platoon in forcing an entry into the town and softening the hostile positions for the remainder of the company. Leading his platoon toward the South gate of the city, he discovered a machine gun and anti-tank gun protecting the entrance, and skillfully maneuvered his platoon to the East wall. After personally reconnoitering the area and finding that this approach was also covered by two enemy machine guns, he swiftly led his platoon to the North wall which had no entrance and had been left unguarded. Using a ladder he preceded his men over the wall onto the roof of a building, moving across adjoining roof tops, crouching low and continuing on until he reached a position directly over two hostile machine guns. Catching the enemy completely unaware, he hurled a hand grenade into the emplacement, destroying the guns and scattering those members of the crew who had not been wounded. As three enemy soldiers charged forward with a machine gun to stop the attack, he whirled on them and emptied his carbine into their midst, killing two and wounding the other. During the furious gun fight that followed he continued to effectively fire his carbine and throw hand grenades for several hours. On one occasion he single-handedly captured seven enemy soldiers in a room of a building. By his courageous deeds Lieutenant Garnham’s platoon successfully accomplished more than its mission, enabling the company to take the city with little difficulty.