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American Defense Service Medal

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This article is about the military medal. For the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey medal, seeCoast and Geodetic Survey Defense Service Medal.
American Defense Service Medal
Obverse
TypeService Medal
Awarded forService between 8 September 1939 and 7 December 1941
Presented byDepartment of WarandDepartment of the Navy
EligibilityMilitary personnel only
StatusInactive
EstablishedExecutive Order 8808,June 28, 1941
First awardedSeptember 8, 1939 (retroactive)
Last awardedDecember 7, 1941 (retroactive)
Total recipientsabout 2,000,000


Service ribbonand Streamer
Precedence
Next (higher)Army:Army of Occupation of Germany Medal
Air Force:Air Force Recognition Ribbon
Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard:China Service Medal
Next (lower)Army –Women's Army Corps Service Medal
Navy & Marine Corps –American Campaign Medal
Air Force –American Campaign Medal

TheAmerican Defense Service Medalwas amilitary awardof theUnited States Armed Forces,established byExecutive Order8808,by PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt,on June 28, 1941.[1][2]The medal was intended to recognize those military service members who had served on active duty between September 8, 1939, and December 7, 1941.

A similar medal, known as theAmerican Campaign Medal,was established in 1942, for service in theAmerican Theaterduring the World War II era.

History

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The American Defense Service Medal was established by Executive Order 8808, on 28 June 1941, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and announced in War Department Bulletin 17, 1941. The criteria for the medal was announced in War Department Circular 44, on 13 February 1942. Theservice ribbondesign was approved by the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy on January 7, 1942. The medal was designed by Mr. Lee Lawrie, a civilian sculptor from Easton, Maryland. The model was approved by the Commission of Fine Arts on May 5, 1942.[2][3]

Criteria

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The medal is authorized to military members who served on active duty between President Roosevelt's declaration of a limited national emergency on September 8, 1939, and theattack on Pearl Harboron December 7, 1941. Members of theUnited States Army,to include those in theOrganized ReserveandNational Guard,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.[1]TheUnited States Navyexcluded those reservists who were on active duty for less than ten days during the eligibility period, but otherwise the Navy,United States Marine Corps,andUnited States Coast Guardawarded the medal to all personnel who served on active duty at any time during the eligibility period, Regular or Reservist, provided they passed their initial physical examinations, such as in the case of those Reservists called back to extended active duty prior to the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, or enlisted recruits or officer candidates who entered the Navy or Marine Corps during the same period.[4]

Appearance

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Medals awarded toDouglas Alan Clark;the American Defense Service Medal is second from right, with an"A" Device,indicating belligerent contact with Axis Powers in the Atlantic Ocean between June 22 and December 7, 1941.

The bronze medal is1+1⁄4inches (32 mm) in diameter. On theobverseis a femaleGrecianfigure symbolic of defense, holding in her sinister hand an ancient war shield in reverse and herdexterhand brandishing a sword above her head, and standing upon a conventionalized oak branch with four leaves. Around the top is the lettering "AMERICAN DEFENSE". Thereverseis the wording "FOR SERVICE DURING THE LIMITED EMERGENCY PROCLAIMED BY THE PRESIDENT ON SEPTEMBER 8, 1939 OR DURING THE UNLIMITED EMERGENCY PROCLAIMED BY THE PRESIDENT ON MAY 27, 1941" above a seven-leafed spray of laurel.[2][3]

The suspension andservice ribbonof the medal is1+3⁄8inches (35 mm) wide and consists of the following stripes:3⁄16in (4.8 mm) Golden Yellow 67104;1⁄8in (3.2 mm) triparted Old Glory Blue 67178; White 67101; and Scarlet 67111; center3⁄4in (19 mm) Golden Yellow;1⁄8in (3.2 mm) triparted Scarlet; White; and Old Glory Blue 67178; and3⁄16in (4.8 mm) Golden yellow. The golden yellow color was symbolic of the golden opportunity of the youth of the United States to serve the National colors, represented by the blue, white and red pin stripes on each side.[2][3]

Devices

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The American Defense Service Medal was authorized with the following devices:

  • Foreign Service Clasp:Issued by theUnited States Armyfor military service outside the continental limits of the United States, including service in Alaska. The foreign service clasp is a bronze bar1⁄8inch (3.2 mm) in width and1+1⁄2in (38 mm) in length with the wordsFOREIGN SERVICE,with a star at each end of the inscription.[1]
  • Base Clasp:Issued by theU.S. NavyandUnited States Marine Corpsfor service outside the continental limits of the United States (service in either Alaska or Hawaii qualified).[4]
  • Fleet Clasp:Issued by the Navy, Marine Corps andUnited States Coast Guardfor service on the high seas while regularly attached to any vessels of the Atlantic, Pacific, or Asiatic fleets as well as vessels of the Naval Transport Service and vessels operating directly under the Chief of Naval Operations.[4]The Fleet clasp is a bronze bar1⁄8inch (3.2 mm) in width and1+1⁄2in (38 mm) in length with the wordsFLEETinscribed.
  • Sea Clasp:Issued by the Coast Guard for all other vessels and aircraft, not qualifying for the Fleet Clasp, which regularly conducted patrols at sea.[4]
  • "A" Device:Awarded to any member of the Navy who served duty in actual or potential belligerent contact withAxis Powersin theAtlantic Oceanbetween June 22 and December 7, 1941.[4]The "A" Device was also worn on the medal's uniform ribbon.
  • Service star:Worn in lieu of clasps when wearing the American Defense Service Medal as a ribbon on a military uniform.[1][3][4]

See also

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Bibliography

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  • Foster, Frank C. (2002).A complete guide to all United States military medals, 1939 to present.Fountain Inn, S.C.: MOA Press.ISBN978-1-884-45218-5.OCLC54755134.

References

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  1. ^abcdArmy Regulation 600–8–22 Military Awards(PDF).Washington, DC: Headquarters Department of the Army. 24 June 2013. p. 70. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2017-04-10.Retrieved2014-01-10.
  2. ^abcd"American Defense Service Medal".The Institute of Heraldry. Archived fromthe originalon 2014-01-10.Retrieved10 January2014.
  3. ^abcd"American Defense Service Medal".Air Force Personnel Center. 2 August 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 6 November 2013.Retrieved10 January2014.
  4. ^abcdefNavy and Marine Corps Awards Manual(PDF).Washington, DC: Department of the Navy. 1953. pp. 57–59. NavPers 15,790. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2012-02-16.Retrieved2014-01-10.
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