The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Legion of Merit (Posthumously) to Rear Admiral Don Pardee Moon, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as a Naval Task Force Commander prior to the amphibious invasion of Southern France in August 1944. Rear Admiral Moon exerted himself most conscientiously and with extreme energy throughout the extended planning phase in preparation for the execution of assault landings on the Coast of Southern France. Devoting meticulous attention to all details of his complex task, he developed sound, workable, and complete plans for the maintaining and execution of an assault in divisional scale over selected beaches which, from intelligence sources, were known to be strongly defended by artillery and machine gun emplacements, mines, and underwater obstacles. Owing to his unfortunate and untimely death, he was deprived of the opportunity of leading his forces into action against the enemy. The extraordinary ability, sound judgment, and outstanding devotion to duty displayed by Rear Admiral Moon reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.