The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal Charles W. Horvath (MCSN: 301890), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Squad Leader of Company D, Second Battalion, Twenty-ninth Marines, SIXTH Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands on 18 and 19 May 1945. Confronted by a night enemy counter attack while on outpost duty, Corporal Horvath acted on his own initiative to crawl forward of his post to an unmanned enemy machine gun position and, single handedly placing the gun in operation, broke the attack and annihilated many of the hostile troops. By his aggressiveness and courage, he saved a position which had been previously lost to the Japanese innumerable times. His devotion to duty was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.