Charles Herman Kramb, Jr.

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Charles Herman Kramb, Jr. (2341897), Gunner’s Mate Third Class, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy in the vicinity of Quinauan Point, Bataan, Philippine Islands, on 8 February 1942. When it became necessary to coordinate an attack from seaward with the operations of ground forces in breaking the resistance of a defiladed and strongly held enemy position, Gunner’s Mate Kramb served as a gunner on one of the armored boats of the expedition. During the entire operation this intrepid blue jacket maintained accurate and voluminous fire from his exposed post in the bow of his boat despite heavy enemy fire from the beach and several hostile dive bombing attacks. On the return trip, after completion of the mission, Gunner’s Mate Kramb took a machine gun position in an open part of the boat where he ignored considerations of personal safety in firing at dive bombers as they came in to attack, thereby driving off two such attacks. On a third dive bombing attempt, however, three bombs fell alongside his boat causing his death, but not before he had contributed in a large measure to the success of the enterprise.