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
Barger
FORENAME
Ferdinand Ora, Jr.
UNIT
Advisory Team 2 (PsyOps officer,attached),Justpao,Hq,MACV
RANK
Lieutenant Colonel
NUMBER
070262
AWARD
Legion Of Merit
PLACE
Vietnam 1968
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
See roll of honour
SURNAME
Baldock
FORENAME
Charles W.
UNIT
U.S.N. Scout boat (USS Charles Carroll)
RANK
Ensign
NUMBER
0-244231
AWARD
Legion of Merit with V device
PLACE
North Africa 1942
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
resided Shreveport, Louisiana
SURNAME
Darroch
FORENAME
James William
UNIT
U.S.N.R. NCDU (attached USS USS Brant)
RANK
Lieutenant
NUMBER
AWARD
Navy Cross, Legion of Merit
PLACE
North Africa 1942
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
from Albany,California
born 4.2.1912 Kewanee,Illinois
21.11.1936 married Rose Claire (nee...
SURNAME
Brekke
FORENAME
Marshall L.
UNIT
U.S.N. NCDU-
RANK
Lieutenant
NUMBER
0-117931
AWARD
Legion of Merit with V device
PLACE
Southern France 1944
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
SURNAME
Trani
FORENAME
Frederick Eugene,Jr
UNIT
U.S.N. Seal Team 2
RANK
Lieutenant
NUMBER
0-669618
AWARD
Silver Star,Legion of Merit with V device,Bronze Star with V device
PLACE
South Vietnam 1967 (SS) 1968 (LOM)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
DOW - see Roll of Honour
SURNAME
Erskine
FORENAME
Donald Kim
UNIT
U.S.N. Seal Team 6 + NSWG 2 (C.O.)
RANK
Lieutenant + Commander
NUMBER
AWARD
Silver Star, Legion of Merit
PLACE
Grenada 1983 (SS) 1994-96 (LOM)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Seal Team 6
WIA 25.10.1983 Grenada
NSWG 2 (C.O.) January 1994-June 1996
SURNAME
Heinz
FORENAME
Roger William
UNIT
5 SF Group (HQ and HQ Company - Chaplain)
RANK
Major
NUMBER
481320462
AWARD
Legion of Merit,Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster,Air Medal,Army Commendation Medal
PLACE
South Vietnam 1969
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
KIA - see Roll of Honour
SURNAME
Gore
FORENAME
Calvin Thomas
UNIT
5 SF Group (MACV-SOG)
RANK
Major
NUMBER
260540720
AWARD
Legion of Merit,Bronze Star with 2 oak leaf clusters,Air Medal,Army Commendation Medal
PLACE
South Vietnam
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
killed 1972 - see Roll of Honour
SURNAME
Hurley
FORENAME
Patrick R.
UNIT
1 SF Operational Detachment - Delta
RANK
Sergeant Major
NUMBER
AWARD
Legion of Merit,Bronze Star with V
PLACE
Persian Gulf 1991 (Op.Desert Storm)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
killed - see Roll of Honour
SURNAME
Haugen
FORENAME
Orin Doughty
UNIT
511 Parachute Infantry Regiment (Commanding Officer)
RANK
Colonel
NUMBER
0-018254
AWARD
Silver Star,Legion of Merit,Air Medal
PLACE
Philippines 1945
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
DOW - see Roll of Honour
SURNAME
Darby
FORENAME
William Orlando
UNIT
1 Ranger Bn (C.O.)
RANK
Lieutenant Colonel
NUMBER
0-19133
AWARD
Distinguished Service Cross with oak leaf cluster, Silver Star, Legion of Merit
PLACE
North Africa 1943 (DSC+SS) Sicily 1943 (DSC) WW2 (LOM)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...
SURNAME
Bigeard
FORENAME
Marcel
UNIT
SOE
RANK
Sous Lieutenant
NUMBER
AWARD
Distinguished Service Order (GB),Croix de Guerre (Fr),Medaille de la Resistance (Fr),Legion of Merit - Commander (US)
PLACE
France 1944
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 14.2.1916...
SURNAME
Deeks
FORENAME
Robert H.,Jr
UNIT
5 SF Group (Det A-562,2 Bn)
RANK
Sergeant First Class
NUMBER
AWARD
Legion of Merit
PLACE
Somalia 1993
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
KIA - see Roll of Honour
SURNAME
Clemens
FORENAME
Warren Frederick Martin
UNIT
Coastwatcher,Solomon Islands
RANK
Major
NUMBER
AWARD
Military Cross,Legion of Merit (US)
PLACE
Solomon Islands 1942-43
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 17.4.1915 Aberdeen,Scotland
son of Warren and Blanche Clemens
educated...
SURNAME
Gibson
FORENAME
Guy Penrose
UNIT
617 Squadron,R.A.F.O.
RANK
Wing Commander
NUMBER
39438
AWARD
Victoria Cross,Legion of Merit (Commander) (US)
PLACE
Germany (Dams) 1943
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
KIA - see Roll of Honour
SURNAME
Wolverton
FORENAME
Robert Lee
UNIT
506 Parachute Infantry Regiment (Commanding Officer,3 Bn)
RANK
Lieutenant Colonel
NUMBER
0-021275
AWARD
Legion of Merit
PLACE
Normandy 1944
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
KIA - see Roll of Honour
SURNAME
Griffin
FORENAME
Craig Alan
UNIT
1 SF Group (HQ and HQ Company)
RANK
Sergeant Major
NUMBER
AWARD
Legion of Merit,Meritorious Service Medal (x4),Army Commendation Medal (x3)
PLACE
dates ?
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
died - see Roll of Honour
SURNAME
Puckett
FORENAME
Ralph,Jr
UNIT
10 SF Group
RANK
Major
NUMBER
AWARD
Distinguished Service Cross,Silver Star (x2),Bronze Star (x3),Legion of Merit (x3),Air Medal (x10)
PLACE
South Vietnam
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 8.12.1926 Tifton,Georgia
graduated USMA,West Point...
SURNAME
Alexander
FORENAME
Donovan
UNIT
5 SF Group
RANK
nco
NUMBER
AWARD
Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with V device
PLACE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
US Army 26 years
SF 25 years
served Gulf War, Somalia, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq
retired as CWO 3
SURNAME
Wagner
FORENAME
Robert Kay
UNIT
U.S.N. Seal Team 1
RANK
Storekeeper First Class
NUMBER
AWARD
Legion of Merit with V device,Bronze Star with V device
PLACE
South Vietnam 1968
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
KIA - see Roll of Honour