The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Captain John B. Rooney, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as commander of a destroyer division during the Sicilian campaign in July and August 1943. Captain Rooney directed his ships in carrying out vital screening and shore bombardment missions. On the night of 3 – 4 August 1943, he led a task group in an attack against a hostile convoy off the Lipari Islands in which an F-lighter and an E-boat were sunk.