.United States Army Service Medals Page 3.

American Defense Service Medal

Established by order of the President on 28 Jun 1941, for service in the U.S. Armed Forces for one year during the 'Limited Emergency' proclaimed by the President on 08 Sep 1939, or during the 'Unlimited Emergency' proclaimed by the President on 27 May 1941. The one year must have been between 08 Sep 1939 and 07 Dec 1941.

The Foreign Service Clasp may be worn to denote service overseas during this period;
a 3/16-inch bronze service star on the service ribbon.

Designed and Sculpted by Lee Lawrie

Women's Army Corps Service Medal

Awarded to women for service in both the:

Women's Army Auxiliary Corps between 20 Jul 1942 to 31 Aug 1943
Women's Army Corps between 01 Sep 1943 to 02 Sep 1945

American Campaign Medal

***

For service in the U.S. Armed Forces within the American Theater of Operations
from 07 Dec 1941 to 02 Mar 1946.

One 3/16-inch bronze service star may be worn for each campaign:

Antisubmarine -- 7 Dec 1941-2 Sep 1945
Ground Combat -- 7 Dec 1941-2 Sep 1945
Air Combat -- 7 Dec 1941-2 Sep 1945

Ribbon colors decoded:

Background; true blue represents the American Theater of Operations
Center Grouping; red/white/blue represents the United States
Left and Right Groupings; black/white represents Germany, red/white represents Japan

Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal

***

For service in the U.S. Armed Forces within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations
from 07 Dec 1941 to 02 Mar 1946.

The bronze Arrowhead Device may be worn to denote actual participation in a combat parachute jump, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing.

One 3/16-inch bronze service star may be worn for each campaign;
one 3/16-inch silver service star in lieu of five bronze:

Philippine Islands -- 7 Dec 1941-10 May 1942
Burma, 1942 -- 7 Dec 1941-26 May 1942
Central Pacific -- 7 Dec 1941-6 Dec 1943
East Indies -- 1 Jan-22 Jul 1942
India-Burma -- 2 Apr 1942-28 Jan 1945
Air Offensive, Japan -- 17 Apr 1942-2 Sep 1945
Aleutian Islands -- 3 Jun 1942-24 Aug 1943
China Defensive -- 4 Jul 1942-4 May 1945
Papua -- 23 Jul 1942-23 Jan 1943
Guadalcanal -- 7 Aug 1942-21 Feb 1943
New Guinea -- 24 Jan 1943-31 Dec 1944
Northern Solomons -- 22 Feb 1943-21 Nov 1944
Eastern Mandates -- 31 Jan-14 Jun 1944
Bismarck Archipelago -- 15 Dec 1943-27 Nov 1944
Western Pacific -- 15 Jun 1944-2 Sep 1945
Leyte -- 17 Oct 1944-1 Jul 1945
Luzon -- 15 Dec 1944-4 Jul 1945
Central Burma -- 29 Jan-15 Jul 1945
Southern Philippines -- 27 Feb-4 Jul 1945
Ryukyus -- 26 Mar-2 Jul 1945
China Offensive -- 5 May-2 Sep 1945

Ribbon colors decoded:

Background; yellow-orange represents the final setting of the "rising" sun
(symbol of Japanese Imperialism)
Center Grouping; red/white/blue represents the United States
Left and Right Groupings; red/white represents Japan

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal

European-African-Middle East Campaign Medal

***

For service in the U.S. Armed Forces within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations from 07 Dec 1941 to 08 Nov 1945.

The bronze Arrowhead Device may be worn to denote actual participation in a combat parachute jump, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing.

One 3/16-inch bronze service star may be worn for each campaign;
one 3/16-inch silver service star in lieu of five bronze:

Egypt-Libya -- 11 Jun 1942-12 Feb 1943
Air Offensive, Europe -- 4 Jul 1942-5 Jun 1944
Algeria-French Morocco -- 8-11 Nov 1942
Tunisia -- 17 Nov 1942-13 May 1943
Sicily -- 9 Jul-17 Aug 1943
Naples-Foggia -- 18 Aug 1943-21 Jan 1944 (Air);

-- 9 Sep 1943-21 Jan 1944 (Ground)

Anzio -- 22 Jan-24 May 1944
Rome-Arno -- 22 Jan-9 Sep 1944
Normandy -- 6 Jun-24 Jul 1944
Northern France -- 25 Jul-14 Sep 1944
Southern France -- 15 Aug-14 Sep 1944
Northern Apennines -- 10 Sep 1944-4 Apr 1945
Rhineland -- 15 Sep 1944-21 Mar 1945
Ardennes-Alsace -- 16 Dec 1944-25 Jan 1945
Central Europe -- 22 Mar-11 May 1945
Po Valley -- 5 Apr-8 May 1945

Ribbon colors decoded:

Background; brown represents the sands of North Africa and the Middle East,
Center Grouping; red/white/blue represents the United States
Left Grouping; green/white/red represents Italy
Right Grouping; black/white represents Germany

*** Second World War Campaign Medal Ribbons

Something else interesting about the previous three medals, their ribbons were ingeniously designed to be readily recognized even in black & white photography. The arrangements of the left and right stripe-groupings make them unmistakable in the portrait photography of the day.

Color View

Black & White View

Victory Medal, World War II

Established by Congress on 09 Jul 1945, and awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces
for service between 07 Dec 1941 and 31 Dec 1946.

(Two, smaller WWI Victory Medal ribbons, one on either side; separated by the common colors of the three Axis Powers)

Army of Occupation of Germany and Japan Medal

Established by the War Department in 1946 and awarded to members of the U.S. Army
and Air Force for thirty days or more consecutive service in the Occupation Forces or for participation in the Berlin Airlift, from 26 Jun 1948 to 30 Sep 1949, inclusive;
when otherwise not eligible.

Occupation Zone limits:

Austria -- 09 May 1945-02 Jul 1955
Berlin -- 09 May 1945-02 Oct 1990
Germany -- 09 May 1945-02 Jul 1955
Italy -- 09 May 1945-15 Sep 1947
Japan -- 03 Sep 1945-27 Apr 1952
Korea -- 03 Sep 1945-29 Jun 1949

The Japan Clasp , the Germany Clasp , and the Berlin Airlift Device are all
authorized for wear on the suspension ribbon.

Medal for Humane Action

Awarded to personnel for service of at least 120 days during the period
26 Jun 1948 to 30 Sep 1949 within the boundaries of the Berlin Airlift operations
while participating in, or in direct support of, the Berlin Airlift.

National Defense Service Medal

Awarded for honorable active service of any length, during the national emergency, from:

27 Jun 1950 to 27 Jul 1954
01 Jan 1961 to 14 Aug 1974
02 Aug 1990 to 30 Nov 1995
11 Sep 2001 to Date to be Anncd

Persons on active duty for reasons other than 'extended active duty' are not eligible.
Subsequent awards are designated by 3/16-inch bronze service stars.

ON 28 MAR 2003, THE PRESIDENT SIGNED AN AMENDMENT TO EXECUTIVE ORDER 10448 THAT EXTENDS THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR AWARD OF THE NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL (NDSM) TO MEMBERS OF THE SELECTED RESERVE OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES IN GOOD STANDING DURING THE PERIOD BEGINNING 11 SEP 2001 TO A DATE TO BE DETERMINED.

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, COMMANDERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO AWARD THE NDSM TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL BASED UPON THE EXTENDED CRITERIA USING THIS MESSAGE (DTG MAY 2003, FROM: CDRPERSCOM ALEXANDRIA VA//TAPC-PDO-PA, TO: AIG 7406, INFO: ARSTAF, UNCLASSIFIED, SUBJECT: EXTENDED CRITERIA FOR THE NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL) AS THE AUTHORITY. PERMANENT ORDERS ARE NOT, REPEAT, ARE NOT REQUIRED.

UNIT COMMANDERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ORIGINAL ISSUE OF MEDALS. FOR REQUISITION PURPOSES, THE NATIONAL STOCK NUMBER FOR THE NDSM IS 8455-00-281-3214. <>
(The National Defense Service Medal extends the recognition of service during a National Emergency
begun by the awarding of the American Defense Service Medal. The ribbon colors of the ADSM
are repeated in the center of the NDSM ribbon, with the addition of white and red stripes on both sides,
symbolizing faithful courage and strength in the face of danger or war.)

Korean Service Medal

Awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces for service
in the Korean Theater of Operations from 30 Jun 1949 to 27 Jul 1954.

The bronze Arrowhead Device may be worn to denote actual participation in a combat parachute jump, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing.

One 3/16-inch bronze service star may be worn for each campaign;
one 3/16-inch silver service star in lieu of five bronze:

UN Defensive -- 27 Jun-15 Sep 1950
UN Offensive -- 16 Sep-02 Nov 1950
CCF Intervention -- 03 Nov 1950-24 Jan 1951
First UN Counteroffensive -- 25 Jan-21 Apr 1951
CCF Spring Offensive -- 22 Apr-08 Jul 1951
UN Summer-Fall Offensive -- 09 Jul-27 Nov 1951
Second Korean Winter -- 28 Nov 1951-30 Apr 1952
Korea, Summer-Fall 1952 -- 01 May-30 Nov 1952
Third Korean Winter -- 01 Dec 1952-30 Apr 1953
Korea, Summer 1953 -- 01 May-27 Jul 1953

Antarctica Service Medal

Established by Congress on 07 Jul 1960, for U.S. personnel in service on the Antarctic Continent or in support of U.S. operations there, subsequent to 01 Jan 1946.

Eligibility as follows:

U.S. Armed Forces or civilians who participate in scientific direct support

or exploratory operations on the Antarctic Continent

U.S. Armed Forces aircraft crews flying to and from the Antarctic Continent
U.S. Armed Forces ship crews operating south of latitude 60° South,

in support of U.S. operations on the Antarctic Continent

The Wintered Over Discs and Clasps are authorized for wear by personnel who remain on the Antarctic Continent over the winter months.

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