WW1 Victory Medal |
Awarded to any member of the U.S. military,
who had served in the armed forces between the following dates,
in the following locations:
>>April 6, 1917 to November 11, 1918 for any military service.
>>November 12, 1918, to August 5, 1919 for service in European Russia
>>November 23, 1918, to April 1, 1920 for service with the American Expeditionary
Force Siberia. |
China Service Medal |
The China Service Medal was a
military medal awarded to U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast
Guard personnel. The medal was instituted on August 23, 1940 and
featured a yellow ribbon with narrow red edge stripes. The
decoration is similar to the China Campaign Medal, issued in
1901 by the United States Army.
The criteria for awarding the medal consisted of service members
who:
1.Served ashore in China or who were attached to any of the
vessels that operated in support of the operations in China
between July 7, 1937, and September 7, 1939.
2.Served ashore in China or were attached to any of the vessels
that operated in support of operations in China between
September 2, 1945 and April 1, 1957. Military services performed
in the Asiatic-Pacific area between September 2, 1945 and March
2, 1946 could be credited for eligibility for the China Service
Medal unless the individual was eligible for the Asiatic-Pacific
Campaign Medal based on service performed prior to September 2,
1945.
Regulations permitted the wearing of a bronze service star if a
service member had performed duty during both periods of
eligibility. In the modern age, the China Service Medal is
considered obsolete and is no longer issued by the United States
Navy. |
American Defense Service Medal |
The American Defense Service Medal
is a decoration of the United States military, recognizing
service before America’s entry into the Second World War but
during the initial years of the European conflict.
The medal is authorized to military members who performed active
duty between September 8, 1939 and December 7, 1941. Members of
the United States Army received this medal for any length of
service during the eligibility period, provided that they were
on orders to active duty for a period of twelve months or
longer. The United States Navy excluded Reservists who were on
active duty for less than ten days, but otherwise the Navy,
United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard
awarded the medal to all personnel who served on active duty at
any time during the eligibility period (provided they passed
their initial physical examinations). |
WW2 Victory Medal |
Awarded to any member of the U.S. military,
who served on active duty, or as a reservist, between December 7,
1941 and December 31, 1946. |
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal |
The European-African-Middle Eastern
Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States
armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by
Executive Order 9265 issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The decoration was intended to recognize those military service
members who had performed military duty in the European Theater
(to include North Africa and the Middle East) during the years
of the Second World War. Colored bands representing Germany (on
the ribbon's left side), Italy (on the ribbon's right side), and
the United States (in the center of the ribbon) are visible in
the ribbon. The brown and green areas of the ribbon
represent the terrain of the area of conflict, which ranged from
beaches and sand, to grass and woodlands, to mountains.
Originally known as the “EAME Ribbon”, the
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal is awarded for
any service performed between December 7, 1941 and March 2, 1946
provided such service was performed in the geographical theater
areas of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East. For
those service members who participated in multiple battle
campaigns, service stars are authorized to the decoration with
the arrowhead device awarded for any airborne or amphibious
operations performed. The Fleet Marine Force combat
operation insignia is also authorized for certain sailors. |
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal |
The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
is a service decoration of the Second World War which was
awarded to any member of the United States military who served
in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on
November 6, 1942 by Executive Order 9265 issued by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt.
There were 21 Army and 48 Navy/Marine official campaigns of the
Pacific Theater, denoted on the service ribbon by campaign
stars; some construction battalion units issued the medal with
award numerals. The arrowhead device is authorized for
those campaigns which involved amphibious assaults. The
Fleet Marine Force combat operation insignia is also authorized
for certain sailors. The flag colors of Japan and the
United States are visible in the ribbon.
The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was first issued as a ribbon
in 1941. A full medal was authorized in 1947, the first of
which was presented to General of the Army Douglas MacArthur.
The European Theater equivalent of the decoration was known as
the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. |
American Campaign Medal |
The American Campaign Medal was a
military decoration of the United States armed forces which was
first created on November 6, 1942 by Executive Order 9265 issued
by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Originally issued as the
“American Theater Ribbon”, the decoration was intended to
recognize those service members who had performed duty in the
American Theater of Operations during World War II.
To be awarded the American Campaign Medal, a service member was
required to either perform one year of duty (cumulative) within
the continental borders of the United States, or perform 30 days
consecutive/60 non-consecutive days of duty outside the borders
of the United States but within the American Theater of
Operations. The American Theater was defined as the
entirety of the United States to include most of the Atlantic
Ocean, a portion of Alaska, and a small portion of the Pacific
bordering California and Baja California.
The eligibility dates of the American Campaign Medal were from
December 7, 1941 to March 2, 1946. Service stars were
authorized to any service member who was engaged in actual
combat with Axis forces within the American theater. This
primarily applied to those members of the military which had
engaged in anti-U-Boat patrols in the Atlantic.
The American Campaign Medal was issued as a ribbon for the
entirety of the Second World War, and was only made a full sized
medal in 1947. The first recipient of the American
Campaign Medal was General of the Army George C. Marshall. |
Korean
Service Medal |
Awarded to any member of the U.S. military,
who performed duty in the Republic of Korea, between June 27, 1950
and July 27, 1954. |
National Defense Service Medal |
The National Defense Service Medal
is a military service medal of the United States military
originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Created in 1953, the National Defense Service Medal was intended
to be a "blanket campaign medal" awarded to any member of the
United States military who served honorably during a designated
time period of which a "national emergency" had been declared.
As of 2010, with an issuance span of sixty years, the National
Defense Service Medal is the oldest service medal still in
circulation by the United States armed forces, followed second
by the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal which has been active
since 1961. Combat and meritorious decorations (such as the
Medal of Honor, Achievement Medals, and Commendation Medals) are
older still but are classified under separate award criteria
from service medals.
In the years since the creation of the National Defense Service
Medal, it is authorized only for the following time periods:
>>June 27, 1950 to July 27, 1954 for service during the Korean
War
>>January 1, 1961 to August 14, 1974 for service during the
Vietnam War
>>August 2, 1990 to November 30, 1995 for service during the
Gulf War
>>September 11, 2001 to a date to be announced for service
during the War on Terrorism |
Vietnam
Service Medal |
Awarded to any member of the U.S. military,
who served on temporary duty for more than thirty consecutive days,
or 60 non-consecutive days, attached to or regularly serving for
one, or more, days with an organization participating in or directly
supporting ground (military) operations or attached to or regularly
serving for one, or more, days aboard a naval vessel directly supporting
military operations in the Republic of Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia,
Laos within the defined combat zone (DoD 1348 C6.6.1.1.5. revised
September 1996) between the dates of 15 November 1961 to 28 March
1973, and from 29 April 1975 to 30 April 1975. |
Southwest Asia Service Medal |
Awarded to any member of the U.S. military,
who served in support of Operation Desert Shield or Desert Storm,
in one or more of the following areas, between 2 August 1990 and
30 November 1995:
>>Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden and that portion of the
Arabian Sea that lies north of 10 degrees North latitude and west
of 68 degrees East longitude as well as the total land areas of:
>>Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates. |
Afghanistan Campaign Medal |
Awarded to any member of the U.S. military,
who has performed duty within the borders of Afghanistan (or its
airspace) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive
days. The medal is retroactive to October 24, 2001 and is
active until a date to be determined. Personnel who have been
engaged in combat with an enemy force, or personnel who have been
wounded in combat within Afghanistan, may receive the Afghanistan
Campaign Medal regardless of the number of days spent within the
country. The medal is also awarded posthumously to any service
member who dies in the line of duty within Afghanistan, including
from non-combat injuries such as accidents and mishaps. |
Iraq
Campaign Medal |
Awarded to any member of the U.S. military,
who has performed duty within the borders of Iraq (or its territorial
waters) for a period of thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive
days. The medal is retroactive to March 19, 2003 and is active until
a date to be determined. Personnel who have been engaged in combat
with an enemy force, or personnel who have been wounded in combat
or wounded as a result of a terrorist attack within Iraq, may receive
the Iraq Campaign Medal regardless of the number of days spent within
the country. The medal is also awarded posthumously to any service
member who dies in the line of duty within Iraq, including from
non-combat injuries such as accidents and mishaps. |
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Medal of Honor |
The first formal system for
rewarding acts of individual gallantry by American soldiers was
established by George Washington on August 7, 1782, when he
created the Badge of Military Merit, designed to recognize "any
singularly meritorious action."
Between 1919 and 1942, the Navy issued two separate versions of
the Medal of Honor, one for non-combat bravery and the other for
combat-related acts. Official accounts vary, but presumably the
combat Medal of Honor was known as the "Tiffany Cross", after
the company that manufactured the medal. "The Tiffany" was first
issued in 1919, but was rare and unpopular, partly because it
was presented both for combat and non-combat events. As a
result, in 1942 the United States Navy reverted to a single
Medal of Honor, awarded only for heroism.
Since the beginning of World War II, the medal has been awarded
for extreme bravery beyond the call of duty while engaged in
action against an enemy. Arising from these criteria,
approximately 60% of the medals earned during and after World
War II have been awarded posthumously. |
Army Distinguished Service Cross |
The Distinguished Service Cross
(DSC) is the second highest military decoration that can be
awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme
gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy
force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must
be of such a high degree to be above those required for all
other U.S. combat decorations but not meeting the criteria for
the Medal of Honor. The Distinguished Service Cross is
equivalent to the Navy Cross (Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast
Guard) and the Air Force Cross (Air Force).
The Distinguished Service Cross was first awarded during World
War I. In addition, a number of awards were made for actions
before World War I. In many cases, these were to soldiers who
had received a Certificate of Merit for gallantry which, at the
time, was the only other honor for gallantry the Army could
award, or recommend a Medal of Honor. Others were belated
recognition of actions in the Philippines, on the Mexican Border
and during the Boxer Rebellion.
This decoration is distinct from the Distinguished Service
Medal, which is awarded to persons in recognition of
exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the
United States in a duty of great responsibility. |
Navy Cross |
The Navy Cross is the second highest
medal that can be awarded by the Department of the Navy and the
second highest award given for valor. It is normally only
awarded to members of the United States Navy, Marine Corps and
Coast Guard but could be awarded to all branches of United
States military. It was established by Act of Congress (Pub.L.
65-253) and approved on February 4, 1919. The Navy Cross is
equivalent to the Distinguished Service Cross (Army) and the Air
Force Cross.
Originally the Navy Cross was the Navy's third-highest
decoration, after the Medal of Honor and the Navy Distinguished
Service Medal. In August 1942 Congress revised the precedence,
making the Navy Cross senior to the Distinguished Service Medal.
Since that time the Navy Cross has been worn after the Medal of
Honor and before all other decorations. |
Army Distinguished Service Medal |
The Distinguished Service Medal
(DSM) is a military award of the United States Army that is
presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with
the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself
by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty
of great responsibility. The performance must be such as to
merit recognition for service that is clearly exceptional.
Exceptional performance of normal duty will not alone justify an
award of this decoration. |
Navy Distinguished Service Medal |
The Navy Distinguished Service Medal
is a military award of the United States Navy and United States
Marine Corps which was first created in 1919. The decoration the
Navy and Marine Corps equivalent to the Army Distinguished
Service Medal and the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal. The
Navy Distinguished Service Medal was originally senior to the
Navy Cross, until August 1943 when the precedence of the two
decorations was reversed. |
Silver Star |
The Silver Star is the successor
decoration to the Citation Star which was established by an act
of the U.S. Congress on July 9, 1918. On July 19, 1932, the
Secretary of War approved the Silver Star Medal to replace the
Citation Star. The original Citation Star is incorporated into
the center of the Silver Star Medal, and the ribbon for the
Silver Star Medal is based closely on the Certificate of Merit
Medal.
Authorization for the Silver Star was placed into law by an Act
of Congress for the U.S. Navy on August 7, 1942 and an Act of
Congress for the U.S. Army on December 15, 1942. The primary
reason for congressional authorization was the desire to award
the medal to civilians as well as the Army. The current
statutory authorization for the Silver Star Medal is Title 10 of
the United States Code (Section 3746). |
Legion of Merit |
An Act of Congress (Public Law 671 -
77th Congress, Chapter 508, 2d Session) on July 20, 1942,
established the Legion of Merit and provided that the medal
"shall have suitable appurtenances and devices and not more than
four degrees, and which the President, under such rules and
regulations as he shall prescribe, may award to (a) personnel of
the Armed Forces of the United States and of the Government of
the Commonwealth Philippines and (b) personnel of the armed
forces of friendly foreign nations who, since the proclamation
of an emergency by the President on 8 September 1939, shall have
distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious conduct in
the performance of outstanding services." The medal was
announced in War Department Bulletin No. 40, dated August 5,
1942. Executive Order 9260, dated October 29, 1942, by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt, established the rules for the Legion of
Merit and required the President's approval for the award.
However, in 1943, at the request of General George C. Marshall,
approval authority for U.S. personnel was delegated to the War
Department. |
Distinguished Flying Cross |
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a
medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United
States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in
combat in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary
achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent
to November 11, 1918." The decoration may also be given for an
act performed prior to that date when the individual has been
recommended for, but has not received the Medal of Honor,
Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross or
Distinguished Service Medal.
The Distinguished Flying Cross, was authorized by an Act of
Congress of July 2, 1926, an act amended by Executive Order 7786
on January 8, 1938. It was awarded first to Herbert Dargue, and
not Charles Lindbergh as many believe. |
Soldier's Medal |
The Soldier's Medal is a military
award of the United States Army. It was introduced as Section 11
of the Air Corps Act, passed by the Congress of the United
States on July 2, 1926. The criteria for the medal are: "The
Soldier's Medal is awarded to any person of the Armed Forces of
the United States or of a friendly foreign nation who, while
serving in any capacity with the Army of the United States,
distinguished himself or herself by heroism not involving actual
conflict with an enemy." (Army Regulation 600-8-22). |
Navy and Marine Corps Medal |
The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is
the second highest non-combatant medal awarded by the United
States Department of the Navy to members of the United States
Navy and the United States Marine Corps. The decoration was
established by an act of Congress on August 7, 1942.
The Navy and Marine Corps Medal may be awarded to service
members who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or
Marine Corps, distinguish themselves by heroism not involving
actual conflict with an enemy. Typically, it is awarded for
actions involving the risk of one's own life. |
Bronze Star |
The medal may be awarded for Valor
(i.e. courage under fire), in which case it is accompanied with
an attached V or it may be awarded for Meritorious Achievement
(i.e. doing one's job well) in which case the medal does not
have a valor component and does not have an attached V denoting
Valor. Most of the bronze stars awarded are for non valor and do
not have the V device.
The medal is awarded to a member of the military who, while
serving in or with the military of the United States after 6
December 1941, distinguished him or herself by heroic or
meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation
in aerial flight, while engaged in an action against an enemy of
the United States; while engaged in military operations
involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or while
serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed
conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United
States is not a belligerent party. |
Purple Heart |
The Purple Heart is a United States
military decoration awarded in the name of the President to
those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after
5 April 1917 with the U.S. military. |
Meritorious Service Medal |
The Meritorious Service Medal is a
military decoration presented to members of the United States
Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding
meritorious achievement or service to the United States
subsequent to January 16, 1969. Effective 11 September
2001, this award also may be bestowed for meritorious
achievement in a designated combat theatre. Normally, the
acts or services rendered must be comparable to that required
for the Legion of Merit but in a duty of lesser, though
considerable, responsibility. |
Air Medal |
The Air Medal is a military
decoration of the United States which was established by
Executive Order 9158, signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, on May
11, 1942. The Air Medal is retroactive to September 8, 1939. |
Joint Service Commendation Medal |
The Joint Service Commendation Medal
was created in 1963. This award is intended for senior
service on a joint military staff and is senior in precedence to
service-specific Commendation Medals. As such, it is worn
above the service Commendation Medals on a military uniform. As
a joint award, multiple awards are denoted with an oak leaf
cluster regardless of service. |
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal |
The Navy and Marine Corps
Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military
decoration which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or
meritorious service. For valorous actions in direct
contact with an enemy force, but of a lesser degree than
required for the award of the Bronze Star, the Valor device ("V"
device) may be authorized as an attachment to the decoration. |
Air
Force Commendation Medal |
The Commendation Medal is a
mid-level United States military decoration which is presented
for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. For
valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy force, but of a
lesser degree than required for the award of the Bronze Star,
the Valor device ("V" device) may be authorized as an attachment
to the decoration. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces
issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth
version existing for acts of joint military service performed
under the Department of Defense.
The U.S. Air Force began issuing its own Commendation Medal in
1958 with additional awards denoted by oak leaf clusters. It was
not until 1996 that the "V" device was authorized on the Air
Force Commendation Medal. Prior to that time, there was not a
Valor distinction in effect for the Air Force Commendation
Medal. |
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal |
The Navy and Marine Corps
Achievement Medal is awarded for outstanding achievement or
meritorious service not of a nature that would otherwise warrant
awarding the Commendation Medal. Since the Achievement
Medal is designated as an award solely for junior personnel, it
is generally only awarded to officers in the pay grade of O-4
and below and enlisted personnel below the grade of E-7. |
U.S. Unit Awards
|
Navy and Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation |
The Presidential Unit Citation,
originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to
units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for
extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or
after 7 December 1941 (the date of the Attack on Pearl Harbor
and the start of American involvement in World War II).
The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit
de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult
and hazardous conditions so as to set it apart from and above
other units participating in the same campaign.
Since its inception by Executive Order on 26 February 1942,
retroactive to 7 December 1941, to 2008, the Presidential Unit
Citation has been awarded in such conflicts as World War II, The
Cold War, Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq War, Afghanistan War,
etc...
The degree of heroism required is the same as that which would
warrant award of the Distinguished Service Cross, Air Force
Cross or Navy Cross to an individual. In some cases, one
or more individuals within the unit may have also been awarded
personal recognitions for their contribution to the actions for
which their entire unit was awarded a Presidential Unit
Citation. |
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July 15, 2011
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