The Citation Star was a Department of War personal valor decoration issued as a ribbon device which was first established by the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

on July 9, 1918 (Bulletin No. 43, War Dept. 1918). When awarded, a silver star was placed on the suspension ribbon and

service ribbon A medal ribbon, service ribbon or ribbon bar is a small ribbon, mounted on a small metal bar equipped with an attaching device, which is generally issued for wear in place of a medal when it is not appropriate to wear the actual medal. Each cou ...

of the World War I Victory Medal to denote a Citation (certificate) for "Gallantry In Action" was awarded to a soldier, or to a marine or Navy corpsman attached to the Army's Second Division ( 2nd Infantry Division),

American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) was a formation of the United States Armed Forces on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I, composed mostly of units from the United States Army, U.S. Army. The AEF was establis ...

. The Citation Star was replaced in 1932 with the introduction of the

Silver Star Medal The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an ...

Authorization

To receive a Citation Star, an individual had to be officially cited in orders by a General Order Number. The Citation Star is authorized retroactively to denote being cited for gallantry in action back to the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. General

Henry Jervey Henry Jervey (June 5, 1866 – September 30, 1942) was an officer in the United States Army who served as director, Operations Division, General Staff, during World War I. In 1917, he wrote the book ''Warfare of the Future''. At the outbreak of ...

, Office of the Chief of Staff, in a letter dated February 26, 1926, wrote:

The Secretary of War directs as follows - The following is the amended version of paragraph 187 of Army Regulation: "No more than one
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
or one
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...
or one
Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a high award of a nation, state or country. Examples include: *Distinguished Service Medal (Australia) (established 1991), awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force for distinguished leadership in act ...
shall be issued to any one person, but for each succeeding or act sufficient to justify the award of a Medal of Honor or Distinguished Service Cross or Distinguished Service Medal, respectively, a bronze
oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a ribbon device to denote preceding decorations and awards consisting of a miniature bronze or silver twig of four oak leaves with three acorns on the stem. It is authorized by the United States Armed Forces for a spec ...
, shall be issued in lieu thereof; and ''for each citation of an officer or enlisted man for gallantry in action'', published in orders from headquarters of a force commanded by a general officer, not warranting the issue of a Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross or Distinguished Service Medal, ''he shall wear a silver star, inch in diameter'', as prescribed in Uniform Regulations."

Army Regulation 600-40 specified that the "Citation Star" would be worn above a

campaign clasp A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It most commonly indicates the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on th ...

on the suspension ribbon of the medal and to the wearer's right of the bronze

service stars A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or service period. T ...

on the service ribbon. Authorized Army Citation Stars may be worn on the following service medals: * World War I Victory Medal *

Civil War Campaign Medal The Civil War Campaign Medal is considered the first campaign service medal of the United States Armed Forces. The decoration was awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces who had served in the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865. ...

Indian Campaign Medal The Indian Campaign Medal is a decoration established by War Department General Orders 12, 1907.

Spanish Campaign Medal The Spanish Campaign Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which recognized those men of the U.S. military who had served in the Spanish–American War. Although a single decoration, there were two versions of the Spanish ...

Philippine Campaign Medal The Philippine Campaign Medal is a medal of the United States Armed Forces which was created to denote service of U.S. military men in the Philippine–American War between the years of 1899 and 1913. Although a single service medal, the Philippin ...

China Campaign Medal The China Campaign Medal is a decoration of the United States Army which was created by order of the United States War Department on January 12, 1905. The medal recognizes service in the China Relief Expedition which was conducted by the United St ...

Mexican Service Medal The Mexican Service Medal was an award of the United States military for service in Mexico from 1911 to 1919. History The Mexican Service Medal awarded by the Army was established by General Orders of the United States War Department on December ...

Silver Star Medal

On July 19, 1932, the United States Secretary of War approved the

to replace the Citation Star ( inch "Silver Star"). The Silver Star Medal is a large gold hue gilt-bronze star which displays a " Silver Star in the center of the medal hung from a red, white, and blue ribbon. Recipients of the Citation Star could exchange the award for the medal. In August 1932,

Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American general who served as a top commander during World War II and the Korean War, achieving the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He served with dis ...

received the first Silver Star Medal, with one silver and one bronze

oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a ribbon device to denote preceding decorations and awards consisting of a miniature bronze or silver twig of four oak leaves with three acorns on the stem. It is authorized by the United States Armed Forces for a spec ...

converted from the seven Citation Stars he received for World War I. An act of Congress authorized the Silver Star Medal for the Navy on 7 August and the Army on 16 December 1942 during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

(retroactive to 7 December 1941). The Army referred to the award as the "Silver Star" and the Navy referred to the award as the "Silver Star Medal". Additional awards from the Navy are denoted by gold and silver " stars. The Department of Defense (DoD) refers to the decoration as the "Silver Star Medal" (SSM). Also during World War II, a silver inch "

service star A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or service period. T ...

" began being worn on certain medals in lieu of five bronze -inch service stars.

Navy Commendation Star

The Department of the Navy also authorized a inch "silver star" named the

Navy Commendation Star The Navy Commendation Star or Navy Letter of Commendation Star was a Department of the Navy personal military decoration issued as ribbon device which was authorized in 1918 to be "placed" on the World War I Victory Medal. A inch silver star w ...

(Navy Letter of Commendation Star) for those sailors and marines commended for performance of duty by the

Secretary of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department within the United States Department of Defense. On March 25, 2025, John Phelan was confirm ...

which also was to be placed on the World War I Victory Medal for each citation. The Army and Navy inch Silver Stars were not considered equivalent awards, however, as the Navy Commendation Star could not be exchanged for the Silver Star Medal. At the start of World War II, the Navy Commendation Star was declared obsolete and none were issued after 1941. In 1943, a

Navy Commendation Ribbon The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fift ...

was authorized. In the 1950s, the Department of the Navy began accepting applications from eligible World War I veterans who were authorized the Navy Commendation Star to be reissued the Navy Commendation Ribbon with Metal Pendant. In 1960 and 1994, this decoration was renamed the

Navy Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fift ...

and

Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fift ...

. Additional awards of this medal are also denoted by gold and silver " stars.

References

{{reflist United States military award devices Awards established in 1918 1932 disestablishments in the United States 1918 establishments in the United States

Authorization

Silver Star Medal

Navy Commendation Star

See also

References