The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Rear Admiral Albert Thomas Church, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Director of the U.S. Naval Engineering Experiment Station from 19 October 1939 to 10 September 1944. Admiral Church directed research, development and testing activities during a critical period and contributed distinctively to the expeditious expansion and the successful operation and maintenance of the Navy.