chapter 3 | to love and serve
legion of merit the legion of merit, established by act of congress 20 july 1942, is awarded to any member of the armed forces of the united states or a friendly foreign nation who has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The performance must have been such as to merit recognition of key individuals for service rendered in a clearly exceptional manner.
laurence m. brock, s.j. Laurence M. Brock, 0403400, Captain, Chaplain Corps, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services in the South Pacific Area, during the period of February 1942 to Septem- ber 1943. As Chaplain of a regiment bivouacked in an area of over fifty miles at an advanced base, Captain Brock travelled to his men under the most adverse conditions to carry out his own duties and those of Special Service Officer prior to the time that the Table of Organization provided an officer for that duty. This presented Captain Brock with the problem of extending his normal work to
30 | the medals and the men
include such arrangements as the operation and upkeep of motion picture apparatus, and the organization and direction of amateur theatricals. The cumulative effect of his good work was clearly evidenced by the high morale of the regiment upon its entry into active combat. In his unceasing efforts to carry the word of God to troops fighting in perilous forward areas Captain Brock disdained all hazards and expended his every effort. The altruistic, courageous quality of his superlative work was best illustrated at Christmas time, 1942, when he traversed from foxhole to foxhole under hostile sniper fire to receive confessions and thus administer religious solace to men.
