On Eternal Patrol - Medals and Ribbons

Listed in order of precedence

Below are listed many of the medals and ribbons found on the individual personal pages on this site. There are, of course, many more medals and other awards than are shown on this page. Over the years most of these medals have changed, both in design and in award criteria.

	The Medal of Honor is awarded for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of one's life, above and beyond the call of duty. This gallantry must be performed either while engaged 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 an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. A total of eight submariners (one in 1924 and seven in World War II) have received the Medal of Honor. Torpedoman’s Mate Second Class Henry Breault received the award for heroic actions when his submarine, O-5 (SS-66), was sunk in a collision on October 28, 1923. The World War II recipients are CAPT John Cromwell, CDR Samuel Dealey, RADM Eugene Fluckey, CDR Howard Gilmore, RADM Richard O'Kane, VADM Lawson Ramage, and CAPT George Street. CAPT Cromwell, CDR Dealey, and CDR Gilmore received their medals posthumously, and have personal memorial pages on this site.
	The Navy Cross may be awarded to any person who, while serving with the Navy or Marine Corps, distinguishes himself in action by extraordinary heroism not justifying an award of the Medal of Honor. The action must take place under one of three circumstances: while engaged 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 an armed conflict in which the United States is not a belligerent party. To earn a Navy Cross the act to be commended must be performed in the presence of great danger or at great personal risk and must be performed in such a manner as to render the individual highly conspicuous among others of equal grade, rate, experience, or position of responsibility. An accumulation of minor acts of heroism does not justify an award of the Navy Cross.
	The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is awarded to service members who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or Marine Corps, distinguish themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility.
	The Silver Star may be awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States, is cited for gallantry in action; (1) against an enemy of the United States; (2) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or, (3) 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 award of a Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force Cross, must nevertheless have been performed with marked distinction.
	The Legion of Merit is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States without degree for exceptionally outstanding conduct in the performance of meritorious service to the United States. The performance must merit recognition by individuals in a key position which was performed in a clearly exceptional manner. The performance of duties normal to the grade branch, specialty or assignment and experience of an individual is not an adequate basis for this award.
	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. For acts of lifesaving, or attempted lifesaving, it is required that the action be performed at the risk of one's own life.
	The Bronze Star Medal may be awarded to individuals who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States in a combat theater, distinguish themselves by heroism, outstanding achievement, or by meritorious service not involving aerial flight.
	The Purple Heart may be awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the Armed Forces, has been wounded, killed, or who has died or may die of wounds received in armed combat or as a result of an act of international terrorism. On October 1, 2008, the Department of Defense authorized the Purple Heart for POWs (after Dec. 7, 1941) who subsequently died in captivity.
	The Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (established as the Navy Commendation Ribbon during World War II) may be awarded to service members who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or Marine Corps, distinguish themselves by heroism, outstanding achievement or meritorious service (but not of sufficient nature to warrant a higher decoration).
	The Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (first known as the “Secretary of the Navy Commendation for Achievement Medal,” and then as "The Navy Achievement Medal") may be awarded to members of the Armed Forces in the grades of lieutenant commander (or major) and below. It is awarded for meritorious service or achievement in either combat or noncombat based on sustained performance or specific achievement of a superlative nature but which does not warrant a Navy Commendation Medal or higher.
	The Presidential Unit Citation is awarded in the name of the President to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and cobelligerent nations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy. The unit must have accomplished its mission under such extremely difficult and hazardous conditions to set it apart from and above other units participating in the same campaign. The degree of heroism required is the same as that which would be required for award of a Navy Cross to an individual.
	The Navy Unit Commendation is awarded by the Secretary to any ship, aircraft, detachment, or other unit of the naval service of the United States Navy which has, subsequent to 6 December 1941, distinguished itself by outstanding heroism in action against the enemy, but not sufficient to justify award of the Presidential Unit Citation.
	The Silver Life Saving Medal may be awarded by the Secretary of Transportation to any person who rescues or endeavors to rescue any other person from drowning, shipwreck, or other peril of the water. If such rescue is made at the risk of one's own life and evidences extreme and heroic daring, the medal is gold. If such rescue or attempted rescue is not sufficiently distinguished to deserve the medal of gold, but evidences the exercise of such signal exertion as to merit recognition, the medal shall be silver. The rescue or attempted rescue must either take place in waters within the United States or subject to the jurisdiction thereof or one of the parties being rescued must be a citizen of the United States or from a vessel or aircraft owned or operated by citizens of the United States.
	The Prisoner of War (POW) Medal may be awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States, was taken prisoner and held captive after 5 April 1917.
	American Campaign Service Medal: service members who served in the continental United States for an aggregate period of one year between Dec. 7, 1941 and March 2, 1946, inclusive, may be awarded the American Campaign Medal under such regulations as the Secretary of War and Secretary of the Navy may severally prescribe.
	Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal: service members serving in the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign geographical area between Dec. 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946 (dates inclusive) are authorized award of the medal.
	The World War II Victory Medal may be awarded to all members of the Armed Forces of the United States or of the Government of the Philippine Islands who served on active duty in World War II at any time between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946, both dates inclusive.