The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Rear Admiral (MC) William J. C. Agnew (NSN: 0-10052), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States while officially attached to the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Navy Department, from the beginning of the national emergency 8 September 1939 and throughout World War II. Rear Admiral Agnew served consecutively in the two positions which were of the most vital importance and carried the greatest weight of responsibility of all positions under the cognizance and control of the Surgeon General: (a) Director of Personnel, inclusive of the Medial Corps, Hospital Corps and Nurse Corps from 1 September 1938 to 24 November 1944. During this period the Naval forces of the United States were expanded from 142,683 to 3,650,475. The demand for medical officers and nurses rose with the expansion of the Navy and became acute as the needs of the armed forces drained the national reservoirs of the medical profession. By his dynamic personality, his grasp of problems of the greatest complexity and his wide, yet intimate knowledge of the Navy and of the medical field on a national basis, and by untiring and unremitting efforts, Admiral Agnew so coordinated the recruiting of medical personnel, the training of this personnel in their Medical Department duties and the assignment of personnel to ships, to advance bases and hospitals throughout the world and to the shore stations and hospital at home that all medical personnel needs were met. (b) from 25 November 1944 and throughout the remaining period of intensified warfare of the Pacific, culminating in the surrender of Japan, Rear Admiral Agnew served as Assistant to Bureau, bearing in full, in the absence of the Surgeon General, the entire responsibility for the operation of the Medical Department of the Navy. Here again, as in the position of Director of Personnel, his coolness under stress, his quick grasp of essentials, his inherent ability to make immediate and correct decisions, and his inspiring leadership were directly responsible for the successful operation of the Medical Department.