The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Lieutenant Commander Harvey R. Nylund, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States while serving aboard the U.S.S. SAVANAH (CL-42) during the invasion of Italy on 11 September 1944. When that vessel was set afire by an enemy bomb, Lieutenant Commander Nylund assumed charge of the engineering plant and directed the transfer of auxiliary machinery and restoration of light and power.