The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to Staff Sergeant Charles E. MacKinnon, United States Army Air Forces, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy at Giebelstadt, Germany, on 9 July 1947, while participating in a flight as right scanner in a B-29 type aircraft, which crash landed while attempting an emergency landing. After escaping through the tail turret and learning that some of the crew members were trapped, Sergeant MacKinnon, heroically and voluntarily, at the risk of his life, re-entered the wreckage despite the imminent possibility of explosion because of leaking gasoline. By his courageous action, Sergeant MacKinnon brought great credit to himself and the military service.