The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Captain John Baptist Heffernan, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States during World War II. Having detected the presence of enemy submarines, Captain Heffernan, Commander of a task unit escorting a convoy, initiated counter measures before a hostile attack could be launched and drove off and eluded an enemy concentration estimated to include at least three submarines.