The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Commander Richard Philip McCullough, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. LYTONIA, in an attack on 8 May 1918, in company with H.M.S. BASILISK, on an enemy submarine, as a result of which the submarine was destroyed.