Gordon Caldecott Posted 26 October , 2005 Share Posted 26 October , 2005 Distinguished Service Medal a. The Distinguished Service Medal, section 3743, title 10, United States Code (10 USC 3743), was established by Act of Congress 9 July 1918. b. The Distinguished Service Medal is awarded to any person who while serving in any capacity with the U.S. Army, 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 which is clearly exceptional. Exceptional performance of normal duty will not alone justify an award of this decoration. c. For service not related to actual war, the term "duty of great responsibility" applies to a narrower range of positions than in time of war and requires evidence of conspicuously significant achievement. However, justification of the award may accrue by virtue of exceptionally meritorious service in a succession of high positions of great importance. d. Awards may be made to persons other than members of the Armed Forces of the United States for wartime services only, and then only under exceptional circumstances with the express approval of the President in each case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 26 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2005 Silver Star a. The Silver Star, section 3746, title 10, United States Code (10 USC 3746), was established by Act of Congress 9 July 1918 (amended by act of 25 July 1963). b. The Silver Star is awarded to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the U.S. Army, is cited for gallantry in 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 armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The required gallantry, while of a lesser degree than that required for the Distinguished Service Cross, must nevertheless have been performed with marked distinction. c. It is awarded upon letter application to Commander, PERSCOM, ATTN: TAPC-PDA, Alexandria, VA 22332-0471, to those individuals who, while serving in any capacity with the U.S. Army, received a citation for gallantry in action in World War I published in orders issued by a headquarters commanded by a general officer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 26 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2005 Distinguished Service Cross a. The Distinguished Service Cross, section 3742, title 10, United States Code (10 USC 3742), was established by Act of Congress 9 July 1918 (amended by act of 25 July 1963). b. The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to a person who while serving in any capacity with the Army, distinguished himself or herself by extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of a Medal of Honor; while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing or 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. The act or acts of heroism must have been so notable and have involved risk of life so extraordinary as to set the individual apart from his or her comrades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 26 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2005 Legion of Merit a. The Legion of Merit, section 1121, title 10, United States Code (10 USC 1121), was established by Act of Congress 20 July 1942. b. The Legion of Merit 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. c. Criteria for members of the Armed Forces of the united States army as follows: (1) The performance must have been such as to merit recognition of key individuals for service rendered in a clearly exceptional manner. Performance of duties normal to the grade, branch, specialty, or assignment, and experience of an individual is not an adequate basis for this award. (2) For service not related to actual war, the term "key individuals" applies to a narrower range of positions than in time of war and requires evidence of significant achievement. In peacetime, service should be in the nature of a special requirement or of an extremely difficult duty performed in an unprecedented and clearly exceptional manner. However, justification of the award may accrue by virtue of exceptionally meritorious service in a succession of important positions. (3) Award will be made without reference to degree. d. Criteria for member of Armed Forces of foreign nations is in AR 672-7©. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 26 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2005 Distinguished Flying Cross a. The Distinguished Flying Cross, section 3749, title 10, United States Code (10 USC 3749), was established by Act of Congress 2 July 1926. b. The Distinguished Flying Cross is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Army of the United States, distinguished himself or herself by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. The performance of the act of heroism must be evidenced by voluntary action above and beyond the call of duty. The extraordinary achievement must have resulted in an accomplishment so exceptional and outstanding as to clearly set the individual apart from his or her comrades or from other persons in similar circumstances. Awards will be made only to recognize single acts of heroism or extraordinary achievement and will not be made in recognition of sustained operational activities against an armed enemy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 26 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2005 Soldier's Medal a. The Soldier's Medal, section 3750, title 10, United States Code (10 USC 3750) was established by Act of Congress 2 July 1926. b. 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. The same degree of heroism is required as for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. The performance must have involved personal hazard or danger and the voluntary risk of life under conditions not involving conflict with an armed enemy. Awards will not be made solely on the basis of having saved a life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 26 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2005 Bronze Star Medal a. The Bronze Star Medal was established by Executive Order 9419, 4 February 1944 (superseded by Executive Order 11046, 24 August 1962). b. The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Army of the United States after 6 December 1941, distinguished himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military operations against an armed enemy; or while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. c. Awards may be made for acts of heroism, performed under circumstances described above, which are of lesser degree than required for the award of the Silver Star. d. The Bronze Star Medal may be awarded for meritorious achievement or meritorious service according to the following: (1) Awards may be made to recognize single acts of merit or meritorious service. The lesser degree than that required for the award of the Legion of Merit must nevertheless have been meritorious and accomplished with distinction. (2) Award may be made by letter application to Commander, ARPERCEN, ATTN: DARP-VSE-A, 9700 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63132-5200 (enclosing documentary evidence, if possible), to each member of the Armed Forces of the United States who after 6 December 1941, has been cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat against an armed enemy between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945, inclusive, or whose meritorious achievement has been other wise confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947. For this purpose, an award of the Combat Infantryman Badge or Combat Medical Badge is considered as a citation in orders. Documents executed since 4 August 1944 in connection with recommendations for the award of decorations of higher degree than the Bronze Star Medal will not be used as the basis for an award under this paragraph. (3) Upon letter application, award of the Bronze Star Medal may be made to eligible soldiers who participated in the Philippine Islands Campaign between 7 December 1941 to 10 May 1942. Performance of duty must have been on the island of Luzon or the Harbor Defenses in Corregidor and Bataan. Only soldiers who were awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation (Presidential Unit Citation) may be awarded this decoration. Letter application should be sent to the Commander, ARPERCEN, ATTN: DARP-VSE-A, 9700 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63132-5200. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 26 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2005 Meritorious Service Medal a. The Meritorious Service Medal was established by Executive Order 11448, 16 January 1969 as amended by Executive order 12312, 2 July 1981. b. The Meritorious Service Medal is awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States or to any member of the Armed Forces of a friendly foreign nation who, while serving in a noncombat area after 16 January 1969, has distinguished himself or herself by outstanding meritorious achievement or service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 26 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2005 Air Medal a. The Air Medal was established by Executive Order 9158, 11 May 1942 as amended by Executive Order 9242-A, 11 September 1942. b. The Air Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the U.S. Army, will have distinguished himself or herself by meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Awards may be made to recognize single acts of merit or heroism, or for meritorious service as described below. c. Awards may be made for acts of heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy or while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party, which are of a lesser degree than required for award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. d. Awards may be made for single acts of meritorious achievement, involving superior airmanship, which are of a lesser degree than required for award of the Distinguished Flying Cross, but nevertheless were accomplished with distinction beyond that normally expected. e. Awards for meritorious service may be made for sustained distinction in the performance of duties involving regular and frequent participation in aerial flight for a period of at least 6 months. In this regard, accumulation of a specified number of hours and missions will not serve as the basis for award of the Air Medal. Criteria in paragraph c above, concerning conditions of conflict, are applicable to award of the Air Medal for meritorious service. f. Award of the Air Medal is primarily intended to recognize those personnel who are on current crewmember or noncrewmember flying status which requires them to participate in aerial flight on a regular and frequent basis in the performance of their primary duties. However, it may also be awarded to certain other individuals whose combat duties require regular and frequent flying in other than a passenger status, or individuals who perform a particularly noteworthy act while performing the function of a crewmember, but who are not on flying status as prescribed in AR 600-l06. These individuals must make a discernible contribution to the operational land combat mission or to the mission of the aircraft in flight. Examples of personnel whose combat duties require them to fly include those in the attack elements of units involved in air/land assaults against an armed enemy and those directly involved in airborne command and control of combat operations. Involvement in such activities, normally at the brigade/group level and below, serves only to establish eligibility for award of the Air Medal; the degree of heroism, meritorious achievement or exemplary service determines who should receive the award. Awards will not be made to individuals who use air transportation solely for the purpose of moving from point to point in a combat zone. g. Numerals, starting with 2 will be used to denote second and subsequent awards of the Air Medal. See chapter 6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 26 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2005 Army Commendation Medal a. The Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM) was established by War Department Circular 377, 18 December 1945 (amended in DA General Orders 10, 31 March 1960). b. The ARCOM is awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving in any capacity with the Army after 6 December 1941, distinguishes himself or herself by heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service. Award may be made to a member of the Armed Forces of a friendly foreign nation who, after 1 June 1962, distinguishes himself or herself by an act of heroism, extraordinary achievement, or meritorious service which has been of mutual benefit to a friendly nation and the United States. c. Awards of the ARCOM may be made for acts of valor performed under circumstances described above which are of lesser degree than required for award of the Bronze Star Medal. These acts may involve aerial flight. d. An award of the ARCOM may be made for acts of noncombatant-related heroism which do not meet the requirements for an award of the Soldier's Medal. e. The ARCOM will not be awarded to general officers. f. Awards of the ARCOM may be made on letter application to Commander, ARPERCEN, ATTN DARP-VSE-A, 9700 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63132-5200, to any individual commended after 6 December 1941 and before 1 January 1946 in a letter, certificate, or order of commendation, as distinguished from letter of appreciation, signed by an officer in the grade or position of a major general or higher. Awards of the Army Commendation Ribbon and of the Commendation Ribbon with Metal Pendant were redesignated by DA General Orders 10, 31 March 1960, as awards of the Army Commendation Medal, without amendment of orders previously issued. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 26 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2005 Army Achievement Medal a. The Army Achievement Medal (AAM) was established by the Secretary of the Army, 10 April 1981. b. The AAM is awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States, or to any member of the Armed Forces of a friendly foreign nation, who while serving in any capacity with the Army in a noncombat area on or after 1 August 1981, distinguished himself or herself by meritorious service or achievement of a lesser degree than required for award of the Army Commendation Medal. c. The AAM will not be awarded to general officers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 26 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2005 The Medal of Honor is the highest medal awarded by the United States. It has only been awarded 3,428 times in the nation's history. Below is an excerpt of the Army regulation that describes the eligibility criteria for award of the Medal of Honor... a. The Medal of Honor [Army], section 3741, title 10, United States Code (10 USC 3741), was established by Joint Resolution of Congress, 12 July 1862 (amended by acts 9 July 1918 and 25 July 1963). b. The Medal of Honor is awarded by the President in the name of Congress to a person who, while a member of the Army, distinguishes himself or herself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life or her life above and beyond the call of duty 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. The deed performed must have been one of personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his comrades and must have involved risk of life. Incontestable proof of the performance of the service will be exacted and each recommendation for the award of this decoration will be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Burns Posted 26 October , 2005 Share Posted 26 October , 2005 Hi Gordon, The US awards available in 1918 were only the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross and Distinguished Service Medal. If one was mentioned in a citation, they could wear a small silver star on the ribbon of their victory medal. The Silver Star Medal was created in the early '30's and could be applied for if one had been mentioned in a citation during WWI. The other awards above are Post-WWI. Interesting post, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrB Posted 26 October , 2005 Share Posted 26 October , 2005 Hi Gordon...You really must like to research the Yank stuff. So much tinsel, I think, in the long run. Hell, I have two Legions of Merit and with those two medals and $1.50, I can get a cup of coffee in downtown Pittsburg, Kansas. (Fact is, with $1.50 I can get a cup of coffee,..... so? Medals are not exactly head turners in the US like they used to be) Most the the DSO's etc that "Right On" Neil mentioned as being WWI awards were given to generals and occasionally colonels, but only occasionally to the poor slob in the trenches. He got his Victory Medal with bars and that was that. This was obviously before the US armed services fell in love with medals and started throwing them out like Santa during and after the RVN escapade. DrB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilD Posted 27 October , 2005 Share Posted 27 October , 2005 Hi DrB, How right you are. Not wanting to pay any disrespect to the US Servicemen but they only have to put on a uniform and the Whitehouse presents them with a medal. One could say that the UK are going down the same road albeit on a smaller scale. 12/15 years ago if a soldier had 3 medals in the UK it was classed as unusual. Nowadays if you don't have at least one medal by the time your 20 people start asking questions. NeilD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 27 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 27 October , 2005 You can never have to many medals, as long as there campaign or gallantry medals!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilD Posted 27 October , 2005 Share Posted 27 October , 2005 You can never have to many medals, as long as there campaign or gallantry medals!!!!!!!! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Gordon, I would never have taken you for a Mutley NeilD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob B Posted 27 October , 2005 Share Posted 27 October , 2005 Come on Gordon, Its confession time Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilD Posted 27 October , 2005 Share Posted 27 October , 2005 Come on Gordon, Its confession time Rob <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Rob, Do you think Gordon's gone shy on us? NeilD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 27 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 27 October , 2005 Gimme Gimme Gimme Its that what old Mutley used to say? But joking apart, you can`t knock a chest full of medals can you!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilD Posted 27 October , 2005 Share Posted 27 October , 2005 Gordon, What is your take on the quality of American medals? I have found them to be poor in quality compared to say British medals. Could be that they are manufactured in large quantities? NeilD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Burns Posted 27 October , 2005 Share Posted 27 October , 2005 Hi Neil, Depends very much on the era produced pretty good quality up to the middle of the Second World War (or so) then a steady decline. US WWI Victory Medals, early DSM's and DSC's, 1930's Silver Stars and Purple Hearts are very good quality. If you compare an early WWII US decoration to one produced today, it's night and day. Take care, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrB Posted 27 October , 2005 Share Posted 27 October , 2005 O.K. Gordon, very impressive, but.....? Bronze Stars are handed out in the US Army like Cracker-Jacks. (Maybe Cracker-Jacks are harder to get ahold of!) Nice collection of "I was there" stuff though. I recall sitting next to my counterpart in the RN when we were in Post-Grad school at the Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland in 1976. Ted went on to become Admiral in the RN, but the poor guy had been around the world God knows how many times and had no decorations to show for it. In the US Navy, he would have had about two rows of ribbons, anyway. Back then, decorations from the Brits were really something to admire. DrB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 28 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 28 October , 2005 Yes I agree US medals are poor in quality when conpared to British ones, however, they are of better quality than UN/NATO. Bronze Stars like cracker jacks...............cool!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 28 October , 2005 Author Share Posted 28 October , 2005 Found this thought it might be of interest...... British War Medal; Victory Medal (Lieut. J.A.I. Watts); India General Service Medal 1936-1939, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1937-39 (Major J.A.I. Watts R. Sigs.); 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal; War Medal; U.S.A. Bronze Star Medal. Group court mounted for display Recipient: - Lieutenant-Colonel J.A.I. Watts (Royal Signals and Duke of Cornwall's L.I. attd. Royal Flying Corps) Bronze Star LG 22.3.1949 Lieut. Col. John Athelwold Iremonger Watts (15461) Royal Corps of Signals. Lieut. Col. Watts was born 1897; Second Lieut. Duke of Cornwall's Liight Infantry, 19.7.1916; attached Royal Flying Corps 21.1.1917 - 24.6.1917; served in the Great War on the Western Front 14.7.1917 - 17.12.1917 and 4.4.1918 - 11.11.1918, Italian Front 18.12.1917 - 3.4.1918; Lieut. Royal Corps of Signals 19.1.1918; attached Indian Signals Service 30.10.1923 - 5.10.1926; Captain 19..7.1927; Major 8.3.1937, advanced Lieut. Col. 15.6.1942; Commandant Signal Training Centre India 18.10.1940 - 4.5.1942; retired Lieut. Colonel 15.7.1948. Sold with photocopy LG page. £695 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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