The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Charles R. Dustin (MCSN: 2157384), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Weapons Platoon Commander with Company B, First Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with operations against insurgent communist (Viet Cong) forces in the Republic of Vietnam. On 20 April 1968, during Operation BAXTER GARDEN, Sergeant Dustin was accompanying an antitank assault team and a machine gun squad which were attached to a platoon engaged in a search and destroy operation in Phu Vang District. The platoon was proceeding through a small village when it was pinned down by heavy enemy automatic weapons and machine gun fire and sustained several casualties. Unhesitatingly, Sergeant Dustin deployed his teams forward and directed accurate counter fire against the enemy. In the ensuing fire fight, he courageously maneuvered across fifty meters of fire-swept terrain to an exposed machine gun position where two of his men had been wounded, leaving the team leader operating the gun alone. Directing his team leader to provide him with ammunition, Sergeant Dustin manned the machine gun and delivered a heavy volume of fire against the enemy, enabling the pinned down Marines to commence maneuvering to more advantageous positions. Continuously exposed to intense enemy automatic weapons fire, he remained in the rice paddy and single-handed, provided highly effective suppressive fire until the entire platoon had moved to a more secure area. Then, maintaining fire superiority, Sergeant Dustin displaced the machine gun to another position and covered the evacuation of casualties. By his inspiring courage, bold initiative and selfless devotion to duty at great personal risk, Sergeant Dustin contributed immeasurably to the accomplishment of his unit’s mission and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.