The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Second Lieutenant Charles T. Lamb (MCSN: 0-9190), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism and conspicuous devotion to duty while serving as a Platoon Commander of Company A, SECOND Marine Raider Battalion, during the Marine Raider Expedition against the Japanese-held island of Makin in the Gilbert Islands on 17 and 18 August 1942. When the commander of the First Platoon, Company A, was seriously wounded, Second Lieutenant Lamb, displaying a fine spirit of initiative and determination, assumed command, but five minutes later, he too was wounded in the head and shoulder. Waiting only to receive first aid, and weakened from loss of blood, he returned to lead his platoon. On the second day of the raid, he led a small group in taking over an enemy sloop and, upon arrival alongside in a row boat, he escaped fire at point-blank range, tossed a hand grenade through the port, then boarded the sloop and destroyed the Japanese on guard. Throughout the engagement, his conspicuous fighting spirit and utter disregard for his own life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.