The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Lieutenant Commander P. A. Guttormsen, United States Navy (Reserve Force), for distinguished service in the line of his profession as Senior Engineer Officer of the U.S.S. MOUNT VERNON, upon the occasion of the torpedoing of that vessel by a German submarine on 19 September 1918. Although much of the damage to the ship was in the engine and fire rooms, the officers and men of the engineering department under the direction of Lieutenant Commander Guttormsen worked so efficiently, in spite of very difficult conditions, that the ship was able to reach port under her own steam and at almost normal speed.