Charles Perry Mason

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Charles Perry Mason, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of this profession as Commanding Officer of the Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. HORNET (CV-8), during the engagement with enemy Japanese forces north of the Santa Cruz Islands on 26 October 1942. Throughout the battle, while the HORNET was being subjected to violent attacks by overwhelming numbers of Japanese fighters, dive and torpedo bombers, Rear Admiral Mason directed the fighting of his ship with cool and aggressive determination. The air forces under his command succeeded in severely damaging and possibly sinking a large number of enemy warships, including an aircraft carrier, three heavy cruisers, and one light cruiser. In addition to this damage to enemy surface vessels, a total of 70 Japanese planes was destroyed, the guns of the HORNET accounting for 26 of them. Rear Admiral Mason’s inspiring leadership and the valiant devotion to duty of his command contributed in large measure to the outstanding success of these vital missions and reflect great credit upon the United States Naval Service.

Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 314 (May 1943)