BRAVERY AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE:
AMERICAN MEDALS & UNIT CITATIONS

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS
Awarded from World War 1 to any person in the US Army who distinguishes himself by extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions which merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree to be above those required for all other US combat decorations but not meeting the criteria for the Medal of Honor.
It is equivalent to the Navy Cross and the Air Force Cross, and collectively these three are the second highest military decorations awarded to the US Armed Forces, below the Medal of Honor.
 

NAVY CROSS
Awarded from 1919 to any person while serving in any capacity with the Navy or Marine Corps who distinguishes himself with extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of the Medal of Honor, while engaged in an action against an enemy of the US. To warrant this distinctive decoration the act should involve risk of life so extraordinary as to set this person apart from his contemporaries.
It is equivalent to the Distinguished Service Cross and the Air Force Cross, and collectively these three are the second highest military decorations awarded to the US Armed Forces, below the Medal of Honor.
 

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL (ARMY)
Awarded for exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility. For service not related to actual war, the term "duty of a great responsibility" requires evidence of conspicuously significant achievement, but exceptionally meritorious service in a succession of high positions of great importance will qualify.
 

CITATION STAR (SILVER STAR WWI)
The Citation Star was established in July 1918 as an award of the United States Army. It was a silver star device pinned to the World War I Victory Medal to denote those who had been cited for extreme heroism or valor, not warranting the issue of a Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross or Distinguished Service Medal.
The decoration was also made retroactive as an attachment to all service medals back to the Civil War. Soldiers who received a Citation Star during World War I were eligible to apply to have the citation converted to the Silver Star Medal (see below).
 

SILVER STAR MEDAL
Awarded from August 1932 for gallantry in action against an opposing armed force, the Silver Star Medal is the United States' 5th highest award (the 3rd highest exclusively for combat valour). It remained exclusively an Army decoration until August 1942, after which it became the highest award for combat valour not unique to any specific branch.
It is made of gilt-bronze and has a goldish hue, and the Citation Star, which it replaced, is denoted by the silver star 3/16-inch in diameter at the centre of the medal.
Generally referred to simply as the "Silver Star", it is referred to here as the "Silver Star Medal" to avoid confusion with the silver star worn as an accroutrement on a ribbon to denote multiple awards.
 

LEGION OF MERIT
Awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performing outstanding services and achievements by key individuals. Service not related to actual war requires evidence of significant achievement of a special requirement or an extremely difficult duty performed in an unprecedented and clearly exceptional manner, but exceptionally meritorious service in a succession of important positions will qualify.
It is the United States' 5th highest award, after the Defense Superior Service Medal, and is one of only two U.S. decorations to be issued as a neck order (the other being the Medal of Honor). It can also be awarded to military and political figures of foreign governments, in the degree of Chief Commander, Commander, Officer, or Legionnaire, based on the relative rank or position of the recipient. It is the only United States decoration issued in this way, much like an Order of chivalry or certain Orders of Merit, but for members of the U.S. Armed Forces it is awarded without reference to any degree.
Additional awards are denoted by oak leaf clusters in the Army and Air Force, and by award stars in the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. A bronze "V" device is worn to denote valor/heroism in combat in the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard but not in the Army or Air Force.
 

DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS
Awarded to a person who distinguishes himself by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight, by voluntary action above and beyond the call of duty. It must have resulted in an accomplishment so exceptional and outstanding as to clearly set the individual apart. Awards will be made only to recognize single acts, not sustained operational activities.
 

BRONZE STAR MEDAL
The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to a person who from December 1941 distinguishes himself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service not involving aerial flight, while in action against an enemy or in operational conflict. Awards may be made for acts of heroism of lesser degree than required for the award of the Silver Star and may be to recognize single acts of merit or meritorious service.
When awarded for bravery, it is the 4th highest combat award of the U.S. Armed Forces and the 9th highest military award (including both combat and non-combat awards).
Generally referred to simply as the "Bronze Star", it is referred to here as the "Bronze Star Medal" to avoid confusion with the bronze star worn as an accroutrement on a ribbon to denote multiple awards.
 

PURPLE HEART
The award of the Purple Heart qualifies a veteran for burial at Arlington National Cemetery.
It was introduced in 1932 but eligibility for the award was made retrospective from April 6 1917 to any member of an Armed Force who from April 6 1917 (the date the U.S. entered WW1), while serving with the US Armed Services, was wounded or killed, or who died or may later die after being wounded:
(a) in action against an enemy or opposing armed force, or serving with friendly forces in armed conflict.
(b) as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces or of any hostile foreign force;
(c) while held as a prisoner of war or while being taken captive;
(d) by weapon fire while directly engaged in armed conflict, regardless of the fire causing the wound (from December 1941);
(e) as a result of an international terrorist attack, or of military operations as part of a peacekeeping force (from March 1973).
 

DEFENSE MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL
Established in 1977, this award is for non-combat meritorious achievement or service of such degree that it makes the individual stand out from their peers while serving in a Joint Activity including organizations of the Secretary of Defense, The Joint Chiefs of Staff or Headquarters of other Joint Commands or joint activities designated by the Secretary of Defense.
 

MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL
Awarded from 1969 to members of the US Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding non-combat meritorious achievement or service to the US. Normally, the acts or services rendered must be comparable to that required for the Legion of Merit but in a duty of lesser though considerable responsibility.
 

AIR MEDAL
Awarded to any person who has distinguished himself by meritorious achievement while in aerial flight on a regular and frequent basis in the performance of their primary duties, to recognize single acts of merit or heroism or for meritorious service. The degree of heroism, achievement or service determines who should receive the award.
Subsequent awards were initially denoted by oak leaf clusters, but the numbers were so great that they did not fit on the ribbon. So from September 1968, the numbers of oak leaf clusters have been quoted to indicate subsequent awards of the Air Medal.
A bronze "V" device is worn to denote valor/heroism in combat.
 

JOINT SERVICE COMMENDATION MEDAL
Established in May 1967 as an award to any member of the US Armed Forces who is distinguished by meritorious achievement or service while assigned to a joint activity. The degree of merit need not be unique but must be distinctive.
A bronze "V" device is worn to denote valor/heroism in combat.
 

ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL
Awarded to members of the US Army, from December 1941, for heroism, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service. This was originally established as a ribbon-only award in 1945, and the medal was added in 1949.
A bronze "V" device is worn to denote valor/heroism in combat.
 

NAVY AND MARINE CORPS COMMENDATION MEDAL
Awarded from January 1944 to members of the Navy and Marine Corps, or other members of the Armed Forces serving with these branches, who distinguish themselves by heroism, outstanding achievement or meritorious service. It was originally established as a ribbon called the Navy Commendation Ribbon.

 

NAVY AND MARINE CORPS ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL
Awarded from May 1961 to members of the Navy and Marine Corps in grades of lieutenant commander (or major) and below for meritorious service or achievement in either combat or noncombat based on sustained performance or specific achievement of a superlative nature but which does not warrant a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal or higher.

NAVY AND MARINE CORPS COMBAT ACTION RIBBON
Established in February 1969 (retroactively initially to 1 March 1, 1961, but extended in October 5 1999 to be retroactive to the entry date of the United States into the Second World War. Awarded to individuals that have rendered satisfactory performance under enemy fire while actively participating in a ground or surface engagement.
This is one of a few Naval service awards that has no corresponding medal.
 

PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL
Established in June 1941 (retroactively to 5 April 1917) for any person taken prisoner or held captive while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing Armed Force; or while serving with friendly forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing Armed Force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
Also awarded from 1989 for captivity by foreign armed forces that are hostile to the United States, under circumstances comparable to those under which persons have generally been held captive by enemy armed forces during periods of armed conflict. The person's conduct, while in captivity, must have been honorable.
This medal may be awarded posthumously to the surviving next of kin of the recipient.
 

GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL
Established in June 1941 (retroactively to 27 August 1940) for active-duty enlisted personnel who complete three consecutive years of "honorable and faithful service". Such service implies that a standard enlistment was completed without any non-judicial punishments, disciplinary infractions, or court martial offences. Otherwise, the three-year mark "resets" and an additional three years of service must be performed without having to be disciplined, before the Good Conduct may be authorized.
While the United States is at war (i.e. during World War Two, the Korean War, Viet Nam War, Gulf War, or the War on Terrorism), the Good Conduct Medal may be awarded for one year of faithful service. The Good Conduct Medal may also be awarded posthumously, to any soldier killed in the line of duty.
In the U.S.Army, two or more awards are indicated by a Good Conduct Medal Clasp, which is an 1/8 inch by 1 3/8 inches bar of bronze, silver or gold, with loops representing each subsequent period of service:
a bronze clasp denotes from two (two loops) to five awards (five loops);
a silver clasp denotes from six (one loop) to ten awards (five loops); and
a gold clasp denotes from eleven (one loop) to fifteen awards (five loops).
In the other branches of the U.S. military forces, additional awards are indicated by service stars.

PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION (formerly DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION)
Awarded to units of the US Armed Forces and co-belligerent nations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy occuring on or after December 7th 1941. The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions as to set it apart from and above other units participating in the same campaign.
The degree of heroism required is the same as that which would warrant award of a Distinguished Service Cross to an individual. Extended periods of combat duty or participation in a large number of operational missions, either ground or air, is not sufficient.
When awarded for combat or direct combat support, a bronze "V" device is worn. Formerly known as the Distinguished Unit Citation, it was redesignated the Presidential Unit Citation (Army) effective from 3rd November 1966.
 

NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION
Awarded to a unit of the Navy or Marine Corps distinguishing itself by outstanding heroism in enemy action (but not sufficiently to justify the award of the Presidential Unit Citation), or to a unit distinguishing itself by extremely meritorious service in support of military operations which renders that unit outstanding compared to other units performing similar service.
To justify this award, the unit must have performed service of a character comparable to that which would justify the award to an individual of a Silver Star Medal (for heroism) or a Legion of Merit (for meritorious service).
 

ARMY SUPERIOR UNIT AWARD
Awarded from 1985 for outstanding meritorious performance of a unit in a difficult and challenging mission under extraordinary circumstances in peacetime (i.e., in an area where wartime or combat awards are not authorized in the geographical area concerned). The unit must display such outstanding devotion and superior performance of exceptionally difficult tasks to set it apart from and above other units with similar missions.