The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Lieutenant Commander Eugene P. Rankin, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as commander of a patrol squadron operating in the Solomon Islands and Bismarck Archipelago areas from 25 November 1943 to 15 June 1944. Lieutenant Commander Rankin coordinated a system of attacks with surface craft which resulted in the annihilation of the Japanese barge fleet in the northern Solomons and New Ireland areas. His thorough training program was responsible in a large part for the success of his squadron in completing 1,777 night and day combat missions without loss of aircraft personnel.