The Spanish Campaign Medal was a
military award
Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. DoD Manual 1348.33, 2010, Vol. 3 A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medal ...
of the
United States Armed Forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...
which recognized those men of the U.S. military who had served in the
Spanish–American War
, partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence
, image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg
, image_size = 300px
, caption = (clock ...
. Although a single decoration, there were two versions of the Spanish Campaign Medal, one for men of the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
and another for the forces of the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
and
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
.
[Spanish Campaign Medal (Army)](_blank)
''US Army Institute of Heraldry''
The Army medal was designed by
Francis Davis Millet
Francis Davis Millet (November 3, 1848. – April 15, 1912) was an American academic classical painter, sculptor, and writer who died in the sinking of the RMS ''Titanic'' on April 15, 1912.
Early life
Francis Davis Millet was born in Mattapo ...
while the Navy and Marines medals were designed by Rudolf Freund (1878-1960) of
Bailey Banks & Biddle
Bailey Banks & Biddle was a retailer of jewelry formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1832.
History
Bailey & Kitchen, as it was originally known, was founded at 136 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, on September 20, 1832, by Joseph Trowbri ...
.
Early versions of the Spanish Campaign Medal suspended the medal from a gold and red ribbon, but this design was changed in 1913 upon request from
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
that a United States service medal not bear the colors of the Spanish nation. The new medal was suspended from a blue and yellow ribbon. Separate medallions existed for both the Navy and Army. Marine Corps recipients received the Navy version with the seal of the United States Marine Corps on the reverse of the medal.
The only device authorized to the Spanish Campaign Medal was the
Citation Star
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 on July 9, 1918 (Bulletin No. 43, War Dept. 1918). When awarded, a silver star was placed o ...
and then only for U.S. Army recipients of the decoration.
Army version
The Army version of the Spanish Campaign Medal was established on 12 January 1905. It was awarded for military service performed between 11 May and 16 August 1898 in the geographical regions of either
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
,
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
, or the
Philippine Islands
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. As of 1 July 1923, a total of 7,667 medals were awarded.
For those men of the Army who had served on active duty during the Spanish–American War, but had not been deployed in action, a separate medal was established in 1918, known as the
Spanish War Service Medal
The Spanish War Service Medal was a United States military medal of the U.S. Army which was established by an act of the U.S. Congress on 9 July 1918 (40 Stat. 873). The medal recognizes those members of the Army and of the U.S. Volunteers who per ...
.
Navy version
![The Spanish Campaign Medal](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/The_Spanish_Campaign_Medal.jpg)
The Navy version of the Spanish Campaign Medal was created on 27 June 1908 and issued to any man of either the Navy or Marine Corps who had served in Cuban, Porto Rican, or Philippine waters between 21 April and 16 August 1898 on select ships.
[Navy Department Special Order No. 81 of June 27, 1908] Altogether, crews of 47 ships were eligible for the medal.
For service in the
West Indies
The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...
, the Navy awarded the
West Indies Campaign Medal as well as the
Sampson Medal
The Sampson Medal was a U.S. Navy campaign medal. The medal was authorized by an Act of Congress in 1901. The medal was awarded to those personnel who served on ships in the fleet of Rear Admiral William T. Sampson during combat operations in ...
which was authorized by a joint resolution of Congress in 1901. In 1913, the Navy discontinued the award of the West Indies Campaign Medal and extended the criteria of the Spanish Campaign Medal to any man of the Navy or Marine Corps who had served on active duty during the Spanish–American War. The ribbon was also changed from red and yellow to blue and yellow in order not to offend the colors of Spain.
[The Spanish Campaign Medal](_blank)
''Naval History and Heritage Command''
See also
*
List of military decorations
This list of military decorations is an index to articles about notable military decorations. It is organized by country in alphabetical order and in order of precedence.
Note that there are many pages which overlap the domain of this page, includi ...
References
External links
Spanish Campaign Medal ''Pritzker Military Museum & Library''
{{Authority control
United States campaign medals