The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Captain James C. Guillot, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as commander of a landing craft flotilla during the invasion of Southern France in August 1944. Captain Guillot developed a high state of combat readiness in ships and personnel under his command during the preparatory phases of the assault. As deputy commander of an assault group he assembled and dispatched the assault boat waves to the beach and contributed materially to the success of the operation and early establishment of the Allied armies.