The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Chief Quartermaster Robert A. Barth, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States from 1 April to 6 August 1964 as a member of the Project SEALAB I Aquanaut Team. Voluntarily participating in the United States Navy’s first deep submergence test in which the participants lived for eleven days at a depth of 192 feet beneath the surface of the ocean under ambient conditions, Chief Barth, who had trained for two years to become an aquanaut for this project, contributed materially to the success of the operation, which proved that skilled naval personnel can live and work effectively within an ocean environment, thereby giving the United States Navy a unique capability. His skill, courage, and determined efforts were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.