Citation Accompanying Distinguished Service Medal Presented to Admiral Souers.

THE President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Medal to

REAR ADMIRAL SIDNEY WILLIAM SOUERS UNITED STATES NAVAL RESERVE

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

For exceptionally meritorious service to the Government of the United States in a duty of great responsibility from July 1944 to November 1952. With a solid background of several years of experience as an Intelligence Officer in the United States Naval Reserve and qualified professionally and intellectually to render a vital service to the cause of national security, Rear Admiral Souers, as Assistant Chief of Naval Intelligence in Charge of Plans and Deputy Chief of Naval Intelligence during the period July 1944 to January 1946, served as a representative of the Secretary of the Navy on a special committee whose recommendations with respect to the formation of a government-wide central intelligence culminated in the creation of the National Intelligence Authority and the Central Intelligence Group. Postponing a return to private life, he became the first Director of Central Intelligence and remained with this group from January to July 1946, during which time the new organization was firmly established.

Responding to a request of the Atomic Energy Commission within a few months after his return to private life, Rear Admiral Souers conducted a thorough survey of the intelligence requirements of the Commission during the period May through August 1947 and submitted a plan resulting in the creation of an intelligence unit within the Commission and the coordination of the activities of that unit with the Central Intelligence Group. As First Executive Secretary of the New National Security Council from September 1947 to January 1950, he utilized his vast knowledge of the problems of national security and his marked ability to achieve cooperation among all groups operating in this field to successfully integrate the functions of the Council with those of other governmental agencies and to coordinate all governmental activities in the field of internal security. After accomplishing his mission of establishing the National Security Council on a sound basis, he relinquished his role as Executive Secretary and became a special consultant to the President of the United States on problems affecting the nation's security. His brilliant administrative ability, keen foresight and tireless efforts toward the fulfillment of a strong and effective security program reflect the highest credit upon Rear Admiral Souers and the United States Naval Service.

HARRY S. TRUMAN