Specially Meritorious Service Medal
Specially Meritorious Service Medal | |
---|---|
Type | Medal |
Presented by | Department of the Navy |
Eligibility | For acts of gallantry or heroism, not involving armed combat with an enemy. |
Status | Obsolete (de facto) |
The Specially Meritorious Service Medal was a
Description and symbolism
The ribbon to the Specially Meritorious Service Medal, 1898, is dark red and stands for sacrifice. Awarded to any member of the U.S. Navy, or
By 1935, the Specially Meritorious Service Medal had adopted the status of a commemorative medal; as late as 1942 it still appeared on official US Navy award precedence charts, between the Purple Heart and Presidential Unit Citation. An actual order from the Navy, declaring the decoration obsolete, was never published.
Obverse
In the center of a dark
The anchor denotes naval service, and the wreath represents strength (oak) and victory (laurel). The inscription denotes the purpose of the medal. The small five pointed star represents military service.
Reverse
The reverse is blank and was used to inscribe the recipient's name along with a brief citation.
Ribbon
The ribbon to the Specially Meritorious Service Medal, 1898, is dark red and stands for sacrifice. The ribbon is nearly identical to that worn for the Navy Good Conduct Medal, and there were recorded instances of Navy enlisted personnel, who received both the Specially Meritorious Service Medal and the Navy Good Conduct Medal, wearing two identical ribbons for separate decorations.
See also
- List of military decorations
- Awards and decorations of the United States military