The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Mr. H. Struve Hensel, a United States Civilian, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States as Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 30 January 1945 to 1 March 1946, following more than five years as Chief of the Naval Procurement Division and later as general counsel for the Navy. In the latter capacity he organized and established an efficient central legal office in the Navy, staffed by the finest legal talent available, to handle all procurement legal matters. Taking office during the peak period of the Allied offensive in the Pacific, Mr. Hensel supervised all Navy procurement necessary to support the world-wide operations. His vision and judgment in the field of material research and development and in the vastly complicated matter of integrating requirements for naval munitions with Navy procurement were decisive factors in the Navy’s achievements during the later months of the war. Following the surrender of Japan, Mr. Hensel aided the Secretary in resolving the complex problems connected with the termination of Navy contracts and disposition of surplus property.