MilitaryRibbons.net Blog
Medals of America
February 23rd 2009 - 3:54 pm
Medals of America are symbols of acts of heroism, bravery, loyalty, and of honorable accomplishments. To receive any one of these medals of America, a member of the military must have the courage and drive to act above the line of duty and in the face of fear. The Distinguished Flying Cross is one American medal that requires a large amount of bravery and proficiency. The Distinguished Flying Cross is rewarded for heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight. The first award was given to Captain Charles A. Lindberg for his transatlantic solo flight. Amelia Earhart and the Wright brothers, along with a few others, are civilians who have also received this prestigious medal. During wartime, members of friendly foreign nations serving with the United States can also receive this medal. It is also given to instructors and students at flight schools. Another area of medals that America offers its Armed Forces are the medals for heroism: Soldier’s Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Airman’s Medal, and Coast Guard Medal. The Soldier’s Medal is a non-combat award given to any person who shows heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy of the United States while serving the United States Army. The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is parallel to that of the Soldier’s Medal and is awarded to any person who displays an act of heroism not involving combat with an American enemy while serving in the American Navy or Marine Corps. The Airman’s Medal is the same as the other medals and is awarded to any person serving in the Air Force who shows a great act of bravery while in aerial flight but not involving combat with a United States enemy. The Coast guard Medal is the same as the others, given to a member of the Coast guard. A very overlooked medal of American military is the Bronze Star. The Bronze Star may be awarded by the secretary of a military department to anyone who, while serving as a part of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, who performs epic achievement not involving aerial flight. When the Bronze Star is awarded for bravery, it is the fourth-highest combat award and is ranked the ninth-highest military award overall. Another very honorable medal of America is the Purple Heart. George Washington established the original Purple Heart and then it fell into disuse until after World War I when it was reinstated on the celebration of the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s birthday. This medal is given for military merit and to those injured in the line of duty.
American Medals
February 21st 2009 - 3:47 pm
The United States of America offers many medals for its military. The most well known of all American medals is the highest ranking medal, the Medal of Honor, with other prestigious medals including the Service Cross medals and the Distinguished Service medals. Although these medals are extremely honorable and very rare, it does not mean that other American medals are any less admirable. One of the oldest American medals would be the World War I Victory Medal, also known as the “Allied Victory Medal”. A number of Allied countries involved in the conflict against the Austro-German alliance issued a Victory Medal as well. Each medal is bronze with the same diameter and rainbow ribbon, but with a special national design representing a winged victory. Anyone serving in the armed forces between 1917-1918, 1918-1920 in Russia, and 1918-1920 with the American Expeditionary Force Siberia received this medal. Another respectable American medal is the American Defense Service Medal. President Franklin D. Roosevelt created this medal in 1941 to recognize those members of the U.S. military who served on active duty during the initial years of the European conflict before American’s entry into World War II. The American Defense Service Medal is awarded to any military member who performed duty between September 8th, 1939 and December 6th, 1941. Members of the U.S. Army were required to perform at least one year of consecutive duty during that time period while the U.S Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard members were awarded the medal for any length of time served during that time period. President Franklin D. Roosevelt also issued the American Campaign medal, originally named the “American Theater Ribbon”. This decoration was planned to recognize the service personnel who had performed duty in the American Theater of Operations during World War II. A military member was required to either perform one year of consecutive duty within the borders of the United States or 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days of duty outside the borders of the United States but within the American Theater of Operations. The American Theater of Operations encompassed the entirety of the United States, most of the Atlantic Ocean, a portion of Alaska and a small part of the Pacific Ocean bordering California and Baja California. Because a lot of this area is oceans and seas, a lot of the recipients of this medal were Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. American medals, current and discontinued, recognize service and accomplishments while serving as a member of the United States military. They are meant to outwardly display such accomplishments and highlights of a service members’ career.