The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Rear Admiral Howard Adams Flanigan (NSN: 0-7173), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States as Operations and Shipping Officer, Assistant and Chief of Staff for Operations and Shipping Deputy Chief of Staff to Commander U.S. Naval Forces in Europe, from December 1941 to December 1944, and as Director Naval Transportation Service, January to 30 August 1945. Rear Admiral Flanigan contributed to the integration of United States and British anti-submarine effort for both surface and air forces in Atlantic convoy activities and was instrumental in achieving efficient distribution and operation of passenger, cargo and oil-carrying vessels to meet the war needs of the United States, Later, he exercised overall supervision of the control of shipping for the build-up and support of the U.S. Army and Navy Forces in Europe, personally directing on the beaches and in the ports of France those activities for which he was responsible. He developed new procedures in the Naval Transportation Service to expedite the flow of personnel and material to our Fleet and Bases and upon collapse of the Axis enemies similarly handled the reverse flow. In addition he has initiated and carried out comprehensive studies of the Navy’s transportation systems, resulting in a cohesive, unified control of all movement of material and personnel by land, sea and air. His performance of his varied duties throughout a period of almost four years was uniformly characterized by exceptional judgment, skill and energy and contributed to the success of the United States in World War II.