The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Motor Machinist’s Mate Second Class Charles M. Ward, United States Naval Reserve, for heroic conduct during World War II. Although saturated with oil when the LST 348 was set afire by enemy action on 20 February 1944, Motor Machinist’s Mate Second Class Ward extinguished the blaze on one man by throwing him overboard and then beat the fire out of the oil-saturated clothing of another man. His prompt and heroic action saved the lives of two men.