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 Vice Admiral (Retired) Emory Scott Land, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States as Chairman of the United States Maritime Commission and as Administrator of the War Shipping Administration from 16 April 1937 to 31 August 1945. Applying his long experience and wide knowledge to the careful and intricate planning of ways and means to supply and support our forces in all parts of the globe, Vice Admiral Land handled with brilliant administrative and executive ability the colossal task of directing the design, establishment and maintenance of the greatest Maritime Fleet in the history of the world implemented by a highly efficient Maritime Service Training System. Thoroughly cognizant of the dependence of land operations to the United Nations upon expeditious maritime transportation, Vice Admiral Land was in a large measure responsible for the availability of shipping and the resultant uninterrupted flow of manpower and munitions to war fronts extending from the United Kingdom to Russia and from Alaska to the Middle East. By his exceptional professional skill, tireless efforts and unwavering devotion to duty throughout the extremely critical development of our Merchant Marine to its important place in the National Defense, Vice Admiral Land rendered distinguished and gallant to the Navy, the Army and his country and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.