The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the highest non-combat
decoration
Decoration may refer to:
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awarded for heroism by the
United States Department of the Navy to members of the
United States Navy and
United States Marine Corps. The medal was established by an act of Congress on 7 August 1942, and is authorized under .
The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the equivalent of the Army's
Soldier's Medal, Air Force
Airman's Medal, and the
Coast Guard Medal.
Criteria
As the senior non-combat award for heroism, this award hinges on the actual level of personal "life threatening" risk experienced by the awardee. For heroic performance to rise to this level it must be clearly established that the act involved very specific life-threatening risk to the awardee.
During the mid-20th century, the Navy and Marine Corps Medal has been awarded instead of the Silver or Gold
Lifesaving Medal, for sea rescues involving risk to life. This is due primarily to the creation of a variety of additional military decorations that are often considered more prestigious than the Lifesaving Medal.
Additional awards of the medal are denoted by gold or silver
inch stars.
[
The Navy and Marine Corps Medal was first bestowed during World War II.
]
Appearance
The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is an octagon
In geometry, an octagon (from the Greek ὀκτάγωνον ''oktágōnon'', "eight angles") is an eight-sided polygon or 8-gon.
A '' regular octagon'' has Schläfli symbol and can also be constructed as a quasiregular truncated square, t, whi ...
al bronze medal. The obverse depicts an eagle holding a fouled anchor over a globe. The word ''Heroism'' is inscribed below the globe.[ The ribbon of the medal is three equal stripes of navy blue, old gold, and apple red.
]
Notable recipients
* John F. Kennedy, USN - President of the United States who was awarded the medal as commanding officer
The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitu ...
of Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109 during World War II.James E. Williams
James Elliott Williams (November 13, 1930 – October 13, 1999) was an American law enforcement officer and honorary United States Navy chief boatswain's mate who was awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War. Boatswain's Mate First Cla ...
, USN - Medal of Honor recipient, Vietnam War
*Britt K. Slabinski
Britt Kelly Slabinski (born December 1, 1969) is a retired United States Navy SEAL who was awarded the Medal of Honor on May 24, 2018, for his actions during the Battle of Takur Ghar. He also participated in the highly publicized rescue mission ...
, USN, Navy SEAL
* Carl Brashear, USN, Navy Master Diver
* Don Shipley, USN - Former Navy SEAL and 'Stolen Valor' activist
* Charles Jackson French, USN
* Jeremiah Diprete, Marine
See also
* Awards and decorations of the United States military
The United States Armed Forces awards and decorations are primarily the medals, service ribbons, and specific badges which recognize military service and personal accomplishments while a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. Such awards are a means t ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Navy And Marine Corps Medal
Awards and decorations of the United States Marine Corps
Awards and decorations of the United States Navy
Awards established in 1942
Courage awards
1942 establishments in the United States