The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Brigadier General John Magruder (ASN: 0-2756), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility as Deputy Director, Office of Strategic Services, from January 1943 to September 1945. General Magruder was responsible for the supervision and coordination of the Secret Intelligence, Counterespionage Intelligence, Research and Analysis, Foreign Nationalities, and Censorship and Documentation Branches. Through exceptional foresight, initiative, and perseverance, he welded the functions of these units into a single effective, coordinated intelligence service capable of meeting the needs of the Armed Services and other government agencies which required intelligence as a basis for policy-making decisions. He developed innumerable and varied intelligence activities and carried out their fulfillment to the lasting benefit of the Allied Forces. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of General Magruder reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Armed Forces.