The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Lieutenant Commander John L. Maloney, United States Naval Reserve, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. STRIVE during the Sicilian Campaign in July 1943. Lieutenant Commander Maloney went to the assistance of one of our destroyers which had been damaged by enemy bombers. He maneuvered the STRIVE alongside despite continual threats of air and submarine attack and skillfully controlled the flooding while towing the damaged vessel into Palermo Harbor.