The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Captain Lawrence Davidson Caney, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Senior Member, United States Navy Technical Assistance Team, Iran, from February 1973 to September 1978. Charged with the responsibility for planning and implementing a program to provide a basic and technical training capability within the Imperial Iranian Navy, Captain Caney developed concepts, established a team, defined goals, ordered priorities, and accomplished his assigned task in an exemplary and highly professional manner. He created eighteen complex electronics courses and established the needed training centers to support them. Captain Caney’s dynamic leadership, infectious enthusiasm, and impressive managerial skills ensured that the Imperial Iranian Navy was provided with a sound, complete training program capable of meeting the needs of that rapidly expanding modern naval power whose strength is of vital importance to the security of the sea lanes in the Persian Gulf and the national interests of the United States. By his diligent efforts, superb technical competence, and tenacious devotion to duty, Captain Caney reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service..