The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, 20 July 1942, takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Colonel (Air Corps) John William White (ASN: 0-19550), United States Army Air Forces, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as director of bombardier training at Midland and Big Spring, Texas, and as Commanding Officer, Childress and Midland Army Air Fields, during the period from November 1941 to June 1945. Colonel White selected sites, negotiated for leases and supervised construction of bombing targets for three Bombardier Schools totaling 56 separate sites. Field training exercises and competitive bombing meets initiated by Colonel White were designed to raise the standards of bombing to the degree most suited to the combat needs of the Army Air Forces.