The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Vice Admiral (SC) Joseph M. Lyle, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as the first Deputy Director and later as Director of the Defense Supply Agency, from January 1962 to December 1964. Vice Admiral Lyle performed essential service in the planning and development of an unprecedented joint logistical organization of the Department of Defense. Delegated optimum authority and freedom of action in all major policy and procedural determinations, he contributed substantially in directing and coordinating the organizational and operational concepts of the agency and exhibited a remarkable insight into the problems inherent in molding a newly-activated joint agency into a cohesive, productive organization. He was instrumental in achieving an exceptionally responsive organization to provide logistic support to the operating forces of all the military services and to provide this support effectively and economically.