The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the highest non-combat
decoration awarded for heroism by the
United States Department of the Navy
The United States Department of the Navy (DoN) is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. It was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, at the urging of Secretary o ...
to members of the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
and
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through c ...
. The medal was established by an act of Congress on 7 August 1942, and is authorized under .
The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the equivalent of the Army's
Soldier's Medal
The Soldier's Medal is an individual decoration of the United States Army. It was introduced as Section 11 of the Air Corps Act, passed by the Congress of the United States on July 2, 1926., Appendix 5, p. 126. The Army' Soldier's Medal is equi ...
, Air Force
Airman's Medal, and the
Coast Guard Medal.
Criteria
As the senior non-combat award for heroism, this award hinges on the actual level of personal "life threatening" risk experienced by the awardee. For heroic performance to rise to this level it must be clearly established that the act involved very specific life-threatening risk to the awardee.
During the mid-20th century, the Navy and Marine Corps Medal has been awarded instead of the Silver or Gold
Lifesaving Medal, for sea rescues involving risk to life. This is due primarily to the creation of a variety of additional military decorations that are often considered more prestigious than the Lifesaving Medal.
Additional awards of the medal are denoted by gold or silver
inch stars.
[
The Navy and Marine Corps Medal was first bestowed during ]World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
.
Appearance
The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is an octagon
In geometry, an octagon (from the Greek ὀκτάγωνον ''oktágōnon'', "eight angles") is an eight-sided polygon or 8-gon.
A '' regular octagon'' has Schläfli symbol and can also be constructed as a quasiregular truncated square, t, wh ...
al bronze medal. The obverse
Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage ...
depicts an eagle holding a fouled anchor over a globe. The word ''Heroism'' is inscribed below the globe.[ The ribbon of the medal is three equal stripes of navy blue, old gold, and apple red.
]
Notable recipients
* John F. Kennedy, USN - President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United St ...
who was awarded the medal as commanding officer
The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitud ...
of Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109 during World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
.Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...
recipient, Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietna ...
* Britt K. Slabinski, USN, Navy SEAL
* Carl Brashear, USN, Navy Master Diver
* Don Shipley, USN - Former Navy SEAL and 'Stolen Valor' activist
* Charles Jackson French, USN
* Jeremiah Diprete, Marine
See also
* Awards and decorations of the United States military
The United States Armed Forces awards and decorations are primarily the medals, service ribbons, and specific badges which recognize military service and personal accomplishments while a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. Such awards are a means ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Navy And Marine Corps Medal
Awards and decorations of the United States Marine Corps
Awards and decorations of the United States Navy
Awards established in 1942
Courage awards
1942 establishments in the United States