Navy Federal Credit Union

Although already a famous actor when World War II began, Douglas Fairbanks opted to serve in the U.S. Navy, seeing considerable combat action and receiving not only the Legion of Merit but several foreign decorations.

Awards Received

  • Legion of Merit

    Service:

    United States Navy

    Rank:

    Lieutenant Commander

    Action Date:

    1944

    Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 336 (March 1945)

    The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit with Combat “V” to Lieutenant Commander Douglas Elton Fairbanks, Jr., United States Naval Reserve, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as special operations planning officer on the staff of a major naval task force commander and as commander of a naval task force unit during the invasion of Southern France in 1944. Lieutenant Commander Fairbanks worked tirelessly in the development and coordination of plans for the execution of special operations. As a task unit commander he courageously led ships of his unit into action and, aggressively directing the combat operations with expert seamanship against heavy odds, greatly aided in the ultimate sinking of two vessels.