The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Chief Pharmacist’s Mate Leonard A. Peppler, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States while serving as a Medical Corpsman during World War II. When both the medical officer and Chief Pharmacist’s Mate aboard his ship were killed in action, Chief Peppler improved a sick bay, supervised stretcher parties and treated the wounded with such efficiency that when a doctor came aboard ten hours later, the only attention required was a change of dressings and continuation of the treatment already started.