(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Vice Admiral Ray C. Needham, United States Navy, was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States from August 1963 to August 1965 as Deputy to Commander in Chief Atlantic, Commander in Chief U.S. Atlantic Fleet and Commander in Chief Western Atlantic, for his work in the deployment of Atlantic Fleet forces to assure the readiness of the fleet to support national policy during periods of crisis.