The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant (MC) Robert J. Lawler, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism while serving as Regimental Surgeon, Fifth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in France in the attack on St. Mihiel, September 12 to 16, 1918; east of Rheims, October 1 to 9, 1918; and in the attack in the Argonne, November 1 to 11, 1918. Upon all of these occasions Lieutenant Lawler displayed courage, zeal and devotion to duty of the highest order, and manifested a total disregard of personal danger, visiting the battalion aid stations under fire, and supervising and assisting in the work of evacuation of the wounded.