The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Lieutenant Clayton Ross, Jr., United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Engineer Officer of a Destroyer from November 1942 to June 1943. Lieutenant Ross skillfully directed temporary repairs when his ship was struck and severely damaged by a torpedo. Through his foresight, initiative and engineering ability, he restored the ship to service in remarkably short time.