The Coast Guard Medal is a decoration of the

United States military The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...

that is awarded to any service member who, while serving in any capacity with the

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and Admiralty law, law enforcement military branch, service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight Uniformed services ...

, distinguishes themselves by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy. For the decoration to be awarded, an individual must have performed a voluntary act of heroism in the face of great personal danger or of such a magnitude that it stands out distinctly above normal expectations. The Coast Guard Medal was first authorized by on 4 August 1949, but it was not until 1958 that the medal was actually bestowed. The first recipients of the Coast Guard Medal were FN Earl H. Leyda and BM3 Albert Raymond Johnson who were awarded the decoration in March 1958. The citation for the Coast Guard Medal was for actions performed in August 1957 while attempting to rescue trapped workers from the Oswego Water Works Tunnel, under

Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The Canada–United Sta ...

, in Oswego, New York. Additional awards of the Coast Guard Medal are annotated by inch gold stars. The Coast Guard Medal is the equivalent to the Army's Soldier's Medal, the

Navy and Marine Corps Medal The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the highest non-combat Military awards of the United States Department of the Navy, decoration awarded for heroism by the United States Department of the Navy to members of the United States Navy and United State ...

, and the Air and Space Forces' Airman's Medal.

Notable recipients

* Richard R. Callahan * Edgar Culbertson * Richard Dixon * William Flores * Michael P. Leavitt * David M. Lorange * Ronald C. Prei * Terrell E. Horne * Tristan Heaton * Jacob Poroo * Robert Earl Hill * Traci Huddleston * Tracy Mannes

References

{{USCG decorations Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard Awards established in 1949 Courage awards

Notable recipients

See also

References