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 Rear Admiral (SC) William L. Knickerbocker, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States from January 1957 through December 1961 while commanding the Military Medical Supply Agency, and from January 1962 through June 1963 while commanding its successor activity, the Defense Medical Supply Center. Rear Admiral Knickerbocker planned for, organized, and implemented one of the first elements of a radically new unified logistics support concept. As Executive Directory, Military Medical Supply Agency, he was responsible in large measure for the increased level of supply support to the Fleet and the operating services of our sister services, and for significant economics – factors influencing the decision of the Secretary of Defense to expand a now-proven concept into the completely unified Defense Supply Agency.