The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Captain Myron H. Avery (NSN: 0-62237), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States while attached to the Office of the Judge Advocate General from 4 September 1942 to 2 September 1945, as Chief Admiralty Officer. On 4 September 1942 the Navy Department’s authority and procedure for settling admiralty claims was cumbersome and ineffective. Through Captain Avery’s untiring efforts, the enactment of legislation was obtained which conferred upon the Secretary of the Navy authority: (1) to stay litigation against the Navy Department which would endanger the security of naval operations; (2) to settle and pay claims for damage caused by naval vessels up to one million dollars, and, later, (3) to settle affirmative claims of the Navy Department of an admiralty nature up to one million dollars. Captain Avery initiated a comprehensive naval survey procedure in collision matters, and organized and directed an efficient system of admiralty officer-attorneys not only in the Judge Advocate General’s Office but also in the Naval Districts where the principal revised and brought up to date the Navy’s admiralty investigation procedure. Captain Avery also obtained the enactment of legislation organizing and streamlining the prize laws and procedures where under many valuable enemy vessels have been taken as prize by the United States. In the execution of all his assigned duties, he demonstrated outstanding legal acumen, efficiency, and the highest sense of devotion to duty. Due to his efforts vast sums of money have been saved by the Government, a huge post-war accumulation of admiralty litigation has been avoided, vital sedrets of the Navy’s conduct of the war upon the high seas have been safeguarded from exposure in admiralty courts until the end of the war, and a permanent Navy procedure for the effective handling of admiralty claims has been instituted.