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 are the second highest military decorations awarded to the US Armed Forces.
 

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 are the second highest military decorations awarded to the US Armed Forces.
 

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL
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.
 

SILVER STAR
The Silver Star Medal is the United States' third highest award exclusively for combat valour, and ranks fifth in the precedence of military awards behind the Medal of Honor, the Crosses (DSC/NC/AFC), the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (awarded by the Dept.of Defense), and the Distinguished Service Medals of the various branches of service. It has been awarded from August 1932 for gallantry in action against an opposing armed force and became the highest award for combat valour not unique to any specific branch, although it remained exclusively an Army decoration until August 1942.
It is made of gilt-bronze and has a goldish hue. It replaced the Citation Star, established in July 1918 for the same criteria, which was a silver star only 3/16-inch in diameter, worn on the service ribbons and ribands of appropriate service medals, and that now forms the centre of the Silver Star Medal.
 

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.
 

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 has been awarded after December 1941 to a person who 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.
 

PURPLE HEART
The Purple Heart was awarded to any member of an Armed Force who, while serving with the US Armed Services from April 1917, was wounded or killed, or who died or may later die after being wounded: in action against an enemy or opposing armed force, or serving with friendly forces in armed conflict; as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces or of any hostile foreign force; or while held as a prisoner of war or while being taken captive; or (from December 1941) by weapon fire while directly engaged in armed conflict, regardless of the fire causing the wound; or (from March 1973) as a result of an international terrorist attack, or of military operations as part of a peacekeeping force.
 

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.

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.