The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Lieutenant Commander (MC) Miles C. Krepela, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Senior Medical Officer of a defense battalion operating in New Georgia during World War II. Lieutenant Commander Krepela gallantry refused to be moved to a safer area and remained to care for the wounded brought in from the beach. Due to the extreme shortage of doctors, he worked day and night for seven days and undoubtedly saved many lives which otherwise would have been lost.