The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Legion of Merit to Rear Admiral Roy G. Anderson (NSN: 0-85253), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Commander Amphibious Group FOUR, from 16 June 1965 to January 1967. As a direct result of Rear Admiral Anderson’s outstanding leadership, sound judgment and imaginative and thorough planning as Commander Amphibious Task Group in Exercises CLOVE HITCH 1 and BEACHTIME and as Amphibious Opposition Commander in PHIBASWEX 1-65/MEBLEX 2-65 and LANTFLEX 66, the readiness of all participants was markedly increased, as was the readiness of the Amphibious Force. In his role as the Amphibious Opposition Commander in LANTFLEX 66, which involved 94 ships, 19 Air Squadrons and 5,000 Marines, Rear Admiral Anderson provided imaginative and realistic opposition to other exercise forces. Despite the complexity of the exercises and the limited time available, he introduced a wide variety of amphibious techniques for the first time in a major Atlantic exercise that afforded invaluable training to both friendly and opposition forces. Throughout this period, Rear Admiral Anderson exercised operational control of the Caribbean Ready Group, resulting in a steadily increasing degree of readiness of this Group to perform its tasks. By his outstanding professional competence and inspiring devotion to duty, Rear Admiral Anderson upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.


