The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit with Combat “V” to Commander Paul Henrik Bjarnason (NSN: 0-77152), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Commanding Officer of the Destroyer U.S.S. HENRY A. WILEY (DD-749) at Okinawa Gunto, from 23 March 1945 to 24 June 1945. By his imitative, perseverance and outstanding ability he kept his ship operating, protecting minesweeping units, delivering effective harassment fire against the strong enemy shore emplacements, performing anti-submarine and anti-patrol boat patrols, all within dangerously mined enemy waters, and being subjected to numerous attacks by enemy aircraft, including attacks by suicide planes, all without damage to his ship or injury to the assigned personnel. During this period the ship, of which he was in command, drove off fifty-one attacks by multiple enemy aircraft, shooting down twelve of the attacking planes. His outstanding service and conduct throughout were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. (Commander Bjarnason is authorized to wear the Combat “V”.)