The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit, in the Degree of Chief Commander (Navy Award) to Rear Admiral V. A. C. Crutchley, Royal Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States during World War II. Rear Admiral Crutchley welded Australian and American forces into a powerful fighting force which bombarded numerous enemy shore positions and provided effective support to invasions of Japanese strongholds vital to the reconquest of northern New Guinea.