The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight uniformed services of the United States as well as to military and political figures of foreign governments.
The Legion of Merit (Commander degree) is one of only two United States military decorations to be issued as a neck order (the other being the Medal of Honor), and the only United States military decoration that may be issued in degrees (much like an order of chivalry or certain Orders of Merit), although the degrees including a neck ribbon are only awarded to non-U.S. nationals.
The Legion of Merit is seventh in the order of precedence of all U.S. military awards and is worn after the Defense Superior Service Medal and before the Distinguished Flying Cross.[8] In contemporary use in the U.S. Armed Forces, the Legion of Merit is typically awarded to Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force general officers and colonels, and Navy and Coast Guard flag officers and captains occupying senior command or very senior staff positions in their respective services. It may also be awarded to officers of lesser rank, senior warrant officers (typically in command positions at the rank of chief warrant officer 5), and to very senior enlisted personnel (typically in the rank of command sergeant major and sergeant major of the Army in the Army, fleet master chief petty officer and master chief petty officer of the Navy in the Navy, command chief master sergeant and chief master sergeant of the Air Force in the Air Force, command chief master sergeant and senior enlisted advisor of the Space Force in the Space Force, and sergeant major of the Marine Corps in the Marine Corps), but these instances are less frequent, typically by exception, and the circumstances vary by branch of service.
SURNAME
Chambers
FORENAME
Justice Marion
UNIT
former 1 Raider Bn (Company E)
RANK
Lieutenant Colonel
NUMBER
04796
AWARD
Medal of Honor,Silver Star,Legion of Merit with combat V
PLACE
Tulagi 1942 (SS) Iwo Jima 1945 (MOH)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 2.2.1908 Huntington,West...
SURNAME
Wonsowicz
FORENAME
Francis
UNIT
3 Bn (Orange Combat Team)
RANK
Technical Sergeant
NUMBER
15103944
AWARD
Legion of Merit, Bronze Star
PLACE
Burma 1944
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
from Lake County,Indiana
born 11.10.1922 Indiana
graduated high school
semi-skilled in...
SURNAME
Schudmak
FORENAME
Melvin A.
UNIT
1 Bn (Medical Detachment,White Combat Team)
RANK
Major
NUMBER
0-357424
AWARD
Legion of Merit,Bronze Star
PLACE
Burma 1944
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
from New Orleans,Louisiana
born 19.9.1913 Hot Springs,Arkansas
son of Samuel E. and...
SURNAME
Matsumoto
FORENAME
Roy Hiroshi
UNIT
2 Bn (Blue Combat Team) (M.I.S.,attached)
RANK
Staff Sergeant
NUMBER
18184261
AWARD
Legion of Merit,Bronze Star
PLACE
Burma 1944
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
from Los Angeles County,California
born 1.5.1913 Laguna,California
son of...
SURNAME
Darlington
FORENAME
Charles Evan
UNIT
HQ Detachment (British Liaison Officer)
RANK
T/Captain
NUMBER
ABRO 1043
AWARD
Legion of Merit (Degree of Legionnaire)
PLACE
Burma 1944
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
commissioned Second Lieutenant,Army in Burma Reserve of Officers 15.2.1943
SURNAME
Acker
FORENAME
John Archie
UNIT
3 Bn (Orange Combat Team)
RANK
Staff Sergeant
NUMBER
34104668
AWARD
Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Purple Heart
PLACE
Burma 1944
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
from Bessemer,Jefferson County,Alabama
born 25.2.1917 Alabama
son of Adolphus Cratton...
SURNAME
MacKenzie
FORENAME
N.B.
UNIT
New Zealand Commandos
RANK
Sergeant
NUMBER
68601
AWARD
Mention in Despatches, Legion of Merit (US)
PLACE
New Georgia 1943
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 22.10.1919 Auckland, New Zealand
resided Hastings, New Zealand
farmer in civilian life...
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