The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Charles S. Kirchmann (MCSN: 0-41767), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as an Artillery Forward Observer of Battery A, First Battalion, Twelfth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 1 March 1945. When the company was subjected to a barrage of mortar fire and received numerous casualties, Second Lieutenant Kirchmann unhesitatingly advanced through intense mortar and small-arms fire to a position beyond the front lines from which he could observe the enemy mortars. He then quickly directed his own artillery fire on the hostile mortars and destroyed them. His resolute courage and steadfast devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon Second Lieutenant Kirchmann and the United States Naval Service.