The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Lieutenant Commander Reginald W. Butcher, United States Coast Guard, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Commanding Officer of a U.S. Coast Guard cutter in offensive operations against enemy forces north of the Arctic Circle during the period from July until September 1944. He utilized the limited combat capabilities of his ship to the fullest extent in inflicting major damage on the enemy. Despite the difficulties of traversing sections of the Polar Ice Pack he put ashore a formidable landing force, which located and destroyed an important enemy installation. Later while conducting a patrol in an isolated area, a unit attached to his command sighted a small-armed enemy speed and maneuverability. After a 70-mile chase through ice fields he successes in outmaneuvering the enemy closing effective gun range and forcing the enemy to surrender and scuttle.