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 (Dental Corps) H. Beecher Dierdorff, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States from December 1952 to February 1963. [This award supersedes the award of the Army Commendation Medal to Colonel Dierdorff for meritorious service during the period September 1958