The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Lieutenant Commander Ivan Monk, United States Naval Reserve, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Engineer Officer of the U.S.S. BLAKELEY (DD-150), when she was torpedoed off Fort de France, Martinique, on 25 May 1942. Lieutenant Commander Monk skillfully directed and supervised the work of restoring the engineering plant to normal operation. When all hands believed the vessel to be in a sinking condition, he was instrumental in saving the BLAKELEY and in enabling her to proceed to port under her own power.