The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Legion of Merit to Captain Edwin A. McDonald, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Commander Task Unit 43.1.3 with the United States Naval Support Force, Antarctica, during Operation DEEP FREEZE 60 from 1959 to 1960. Exercising a high degree of professional skill and leadership, Captain McDonald planned and directed the first penetration of the Bellingshausen Sea, Antarctica, by surface vessels. He then organized his units in order to gain the maximum scientific value from this penetration, carrying out geological, oceanographic and biological surveys of great importance in this previously unexplored region. Deploying the ships of his task unit along the coast of the Thurston Peninsula, he succeeded in delineating the coastline and discovering many new geographical features, although the coastal waters were completely unsounded. In addition, he directed operations which resulted in the rescue of the Danish vessel, KISTA DAN, which was carrying the British Antarctic expedition.