Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)
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The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a
military decoration 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 meda ...
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, ...
that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. The performance must be such as to merit recognition for service that is clearly exceptional. The exceptional performance of normal duty will not alone justify an award of this decoration. The Army's Distinguished Service Medal is equivalent to the Navy and Marine Corps'
Navy Distinguished Service Medal The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919 and is presented to sailors and Marines to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritoriou ...
, Air Force and Space Force's
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal The Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (AFDSM) is a military decoration of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force and is presented to airmen and guardians to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritorious service to ...
, and the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal. Prior to the creation of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal in 1960, United States Air Force airmen were awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.


Description

*The Coat of Arms of the United States in Gold surrounded by a circle of Dark Blue enamel, 1 ½ inches in diameter, bearing the inscription "FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MCMXVIII". *On the reverse is a scroll for the name of the recipient (which is to be engraved) upon a trophy of flags and weapons. The medal is suspended by a bar attached to the ribbon.


Ribbon

*The ribbon is wide and consists of the following stripes: # Scarlet 67111; # Ultramarine Blue 67118; # White 67101; # Ultramarine Blue; # Scarlet. *Additional awards of the Distinguished Service Medal are denoted by
oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a ribbon device to denote preceding decorations and awards consisting of a miniature bronze or silver twig of four oak leaves with three acorns on the stem. It is authorized by the United States Armed Forces for a speci ...
s.


Criteria

The Distinguished Service Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States Army, has distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility. The performance must be such as to merit recognition for service which is clearly exceptional. Exceptional performance of normal duty will not alone justify an award of this decoration. For service not related to actual war, the term "duty of a great responsibility" applies to a narrower range of positions than in time of war and requires evidence of a conspicuously significant achievement. However, justification of the award may accrue by virtue of exceptionally meritorious service in a succession of high positions of great importance. Awards may be made to persons other than members of the Armed Forces of the United States for wartime services only, and only then under exceptional circumstances with the express approval of the president in each case.


Components

*The following are authorized components of the Distinguished Service Medal and applicable specifications: #Decoration (regular size): MIL-D-3943/7. ##NSN for decoration set: 8455-00-444-0007. ##NSN for replacement medal is 8455-00-246-3830. #Decoration (miniature size): MIL-D-3943/7. NSN 8455-00-996-5008. #Ribbon: MIL-R-11589/52. NSN 8455-00-252-9922. #Lapel Button (metal replica of ribbon bar): MIL-L-11484/4. NSN 8455-00-253-0809.


History of the Distinguished Service Medal

The Distinguished Service Medal was authorized by Presidential Order dated January 2, 1918, and confirmed by Congress on July 9, 1918. It was announced by War Department General Order No. 6, 1918-01-12, with the following information concerning the medal: "A bronze medal of appropriate design and a ribbon to be worn in lieu thereof, to be awarded by the President to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Army shall hereafter distinguish himself or herself, or who, since 04-06-1917, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility in time of war or in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United States." The Act of Congress on July 9, 1918, recognized the need for different types and degrees of heroism and meritorious service and included such provisions for award criteria. The current statutory authorization for the Distinguished Service Medal is
Title 10 Title 10 of the United States Code outlines the role of armed forces in the United States Code. It provides the legal basis for the roles, missions and organization of each of the services as well as the United States Department of Defense. ...
,
United States Code In the law of the United States, the Code of Laws of the United States of America (variously abbreviated to Code of Laws of the United States, United States Code, U.S. Code, U.S.C., or USC) is the official compilation and codification of the ...
, Section 3743.


Recipients

*Among the first awards of the Distinguished Service Medal for service in World War I, were those to the Commanding Officers of the Allied Armies: #Marshal
Ferdinand Foch Ferdinand Foch ( , ; 2 October 1851 – 20 March 1929) was a French general and military theorist who served as the Supreme Allied Commander during the First World War. An aggressive, even reckless commander at the First Marne, Flanders and Ar ...
#Marshal
Joseph Joffre Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre (12 January 1852 – 3 January 1931) was a French general who served as Commander-in-Chief of French forces on the Western Front from the start of World War I until the end of 1916. He is best known for regroupi ...
#General
Philippe Petain Philippe is a masculine sometimes feminin given name, cognate to Philip. It may refer to: * Philippe of Belgium (born 1960), King of the Belgians (2013–present) * Philippe (footballer) (born 2000), Brazilian footballer * Prince Philippe, Count ...
of France #General
Louis Franchet d'Espèrey Louis Félix Marie François Franchet d'Espèrey (25 May 1856 – 8 July 1942) was a French general during World War I. As commander of the large Allied army based at Salonika, he conducted the successful Macedonian campaign, which caused t ...
of France #General Sir
Arthur Currie General Sir Arthur William Currie, (5 December 187530 November 1933) was a senior officer of the Canadian Army who fought during World War I. He had the unique distinction of starting his military career on the very bottom rung as a pre-wa ...
of Canada #General Sir
John Monash General Sir John Monash, (; 27 June 1865 – 8 October 1931) was an Australian civil engineer and military commander of the First World War. He commanded the 13th Infantry Brigade before the war and then, shortly after its outbreak, became c ...
of Australia #Field Marshal
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, (; 19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928) was a senior officer of the British Army. During the First World War, he commanded the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front from late 1915 unt ...
of Britain #General
Armando Diaz Armando Diaz, 1st Duke della Vittoria, (5 December 1861 – 28 February 1928) was an Italian general and a Marshal of Italy. He is mostly known for his role as Chief of Staff of the Regio Esercito during World War I from November 1917. He ...
of Italy #General
Cyriaque Gillain Cyriaque Cyprien Victor Gillain (11 August 1857 – 17 August 1931) was a Belgian officer who served in World War I and was chief of the Belgian general staff between April 1918 and February 1920. Youth and education Gillain was born in Bi ...
of Belgium #General
John Joseph Pershing General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was a senior United States Army officer. He served most famously as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the We ...
of the United States #
Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...
Živojin Mišić Field Marshal Živojin Mišić ( sr-cyrl, Живојин Мишић; 19 July 1855 in Struganik – 20 January 1921 in Belgrade) was a Field Marshal who participated in all of Serbia's wars from 1876 to 1918. He directly commanded the First Se ...
of Serbia More than 2,000 awards were made during World War I, and by the time the United States entered World War II, approximately 2,800 awards had been made. From July 1, 1941, to June 6, 1969, when the Department of the Army stopped publishing awards of the DSM in Department of the Army General Orders, over 2,800 further awards were made. Prior to World War II the DSM was the only decoration for non-combat service in the U.S. Army. As a result, before World War II the DSM was awarded to a wider range of recipients than during and after World War II. During World War I awards of the DSM to officers below the rank of brigadier general were fairly common but became rare once the
Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight u ...
was established in 1942. Until the first award of the
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal The Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (AFDSM) is a military decoration of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force and is presented to airmen and guardians to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritorious service to ...
in 1965,
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...
personnel received this award as well, as was the case with several other Department of the Army decorations until the Department of the Air Force fully established its own system of decorations.


Notable recipients

Because the Army Distinguished Service Medal is principally awarded to general officers, a list of notable recipients would include nearly every general, and some admirals, since 1918, many of whom received multiple awards, as well as a few civilians and sergeants major prominent for their contributions to national defense. General
Martin Dempsey Martin “Marty” Edward Dempsey (born March 14, 1952), is a retired United States Army general who served as the 18th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 2011 until September 25, 2015. He previously served as the 37th chief o ...
, former
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: app ...
, holds the record for receiving the greatest number of awards of the Army Distinguished Service Medal, at six. He also received three awards of the
Defense Distinguished Service Medal The Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to the ...
as well as one award each of the
Navy Distinguished Service Medal The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919 and is presented to sailors and Marines to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritoriou ...
, the
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal The Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (AFDSM) is a military decoration of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force and is presented to airmen and guardians to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritorious service to ...
, and the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal, for a total of twelve Distinguished Service Medals. Generals of the Army
Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was ...
and
Dwight Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War I ...
are tied with five awards each received of the Army Distinguished Service Medal. They also each received one award of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, for a total of six DSMs each. General Lucius D. Clay (Four Star) received three Army DSM awards for his service that included Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces (European Theater) and Military Governor of Germany. During his tenure, Gen. Clay solved his greatest challenge: the Soviet Blockade of Berlin, which was imposed in June 1948. Gen. Clay triggered the Berlin Airlift, which served the city residents during the harsh winter of 1948–1949. He is also a recipient of the Legion of Merit. General
Norman Schwarzkopf Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. (; August 22, 1934 – December 27, 2012) was a United States Army general. While serving as the commander of United States Central Command, he led all coalition forces in the Gulf War. Born in Trenton, N ...
received two awards of the Army DSM and one award each of the Defense DSM, Navy DSM, the Air Force DSM and the Coast Guard DSM, for a total of six DSMs. General
Lloyd Austin Lloyd James Austin III (born August 8, 1953) is a retired United States Army four-star general who, since his appointment on January 22, 2021, has served as the 28th United States secretary of defense. He is the first African American to serv ...
received four awards of the Army DSM and five awards of the Defense DSM for a total of nine DSMs. Among notable recipients below flag rank are: X-1 test pilot
Chuck Yeager Brigadier General Charles Elwood Yeager ( , February 13, 1923December 7, 2020) was a United States Air Force officer, flying ace, and record-setting test pilot who in October 1947 became the first pilot in history confirmed to have exceeded the ...
and X-15 test pilot
Robert M. White Robert Michael "Bob" White (July 6, 1924 – March 17, 2010) (Maj Gen, USAF) was an American electrical engineer, test pilot, fighter pilot, and astronaut. He was one of twelve pilots who flew the North American X-15, an experimental spaceplane ...
, who both received the DSM as U.S. Air Force majors; Air Force Major
Rudolf Anderson Rudolf Anderson Jr. (September 15, 1927 – October 27, 1962) was an American and United States Air Force major and pilot. He was the first recipient of the Air Force Cross, the U.S. military's and Air Force's second-highest award and decoratio ...
, the U-2 pilot shot down during the
Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis (of 1962) ( es, Crisis de Octubre) in Cuba, the Caribbean Crisis () in Russia, or the Missile Scare, was a 35-day (16 October – 20 November 1962) confrontation between the United S ...
; director
Frank Capra Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-born American film director, producer and writer who became the creative force behind some of the major award-winning films of the 1930s ...
, decorated in 1945 as an army colonel; actor
James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality ...
, decorated in 1945 as an Army Air Forces colonel (later Air Force Brigadier General); Colonel
Wendell Fertig Wendell Fertig (December 16, 1900 – March 24, 1975)Brooks 2003, p. 37. was an American civil engineer, in the American-administered Commonwealth of the Philippines, who organized and commanded an American-Filipino guerrilla force on the Jap ...
, who led Filipino guerrillas behind Japanese lines; Colonel (later Major General)
John K. Singlaub Major General John Kirk Singlaub (July 10, 1921 – January 29, 2022) was a major general in the United States Army, founding member of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and a highly decorated officer in the former Office of Strategic Servi ...
, who led partisan forces in the Korean War; and Major Maude C. Davison, who led the "
Angels of Bataan The Angels of Bataan (also known as the "Angels of Bataan and Corregidor" and "The Battling Belles of Bataan") were the members of the United States Army Nurse Corps and the United States Navy Nurse Corps who were stationed in the Philippines at ...
and Corregidor" during their imprisonment by the Japanese, and Colonel William S. Taylor, Program Manager Multiple Launch Rocket System. Among notable civilian recipients are
Harry L. Hopkins Harry Lloyd Hopkins (August 17, 1890 – January 29, 1946) was an American statesman, public administrator, and presidential advisor. A trusted deputy to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Hopkins directed New Deal relief programs before servi ...
,
Robert S. McNamara Robert Strange McNamara (; June 9, 1916 – July 6, 2009) was an American business executive and the eighth United States Secretary of Defense, serving from 1961 to 1968 under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He remains the ...
and
Henry L. Stimson Henry Lewis Stimson (September 21, 1867 – October 20, 1950) was an American statesman, lawyer, and Republican Party politician. Over his long career, he emerged as a leading figure in U.S. foreign policy by serving in both Republican and ...
. Notable American and foreign recipients include:


United States Army

*
General of the Armies General of the Armies of the United States, more commonly referred to as General of the Armies, is the highest military rank in the United States Army. The rank has been conferred three times: to John J. Pershing in 1919, as a personal accola ...
John J. Pershing – Commander of the
American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (A. E. F.) was a formation of the United States Army on the Western Front of World War I. The A. E. F. was established on July 5, 1917, in France under the command of General John J. Pershing. It fought along ...
* General of the Army George C. MarshallUS Army Chief of Staff (two awards) *General of the Army
Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was ...
Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers was the title held by General Douglas MacArthur during the United States-led Allied occupation of Japan following World War II. It issued SCAP Directives (alias SCAPIN, SCAP Index Number) to the Japanese government, aiming to suppress its "milit ...
(five awards) *General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two N ...
Supreme Allied Commander Europe The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) is the commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Allied Command Operations (ACO) and head of ACO's headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). The commander is ...
(five awards) *General of the Army
Omar N. Bradley Omar Nelson Bradley (February 12, 1893April 8, 1981) was a senior officer of the United States Army during and after World War II, rising to the rank of General of the Army. Bradley was the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and ove ...
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: app ...
(four awards) *
General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...
John Abizaid – Commander
US Central Command The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM or CENTCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Tas ...
*General
Creighton Abrams Creighton Williams Abrams Jr. (September 15, 1914 – September 4, 1974) was a United States Army general who commanded military operations in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1972, which saw United States troop strength in South Vietnam reduced ...
– US Army Chief of Staff (five awards) *General
Lloyd Austin Lloyd James Austin III (born August 8, 1953) is a retired United States Army four-star general who, since his appointment on January 22, 2021, has served as the 28th United States secretary of defense. He is the first African American to serv ...
- Commander US Central Command (four awards) *General J. H. Binford Peay III - Commander US Central Command (two awards) *General
Tasker H. Bliss Tasker Howard Bliss (December 31, 1853 – November 9, 1930) was a United States Army officer who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from September 22, 1917 until May 18, 1918. He was also a diplomat involved in the peace negotiati ...
– US Army Chief of Staff *General George W. Casey Jr. – US Army Chief of Staff (two awards) *General
Peter W. Chiarelli Peter William Chiarelli (born March 23, 1950) is a retired United States Army general who served as the 32nd Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from August 4, 2008 to January 31, 2012. He also served as commander, Multi-National Corps ...
– US Army Vice Chief of Staff *General
Mark W. Clark Mark Wayne Clark (May 1, 1896 – April 17, 1984) was a United States Army officer who saw service during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. He was the youngest four-star general in the US Army during World War II. During World War I ...
– Commander of the
United Nations Command United Nations Command (UNC or UN Command) is the multinational military force established to support the Republic of Korea (South Korea) during and after the Korean War. It was the first international unified command in history, and the first ...
(four awards) *General Lucius D. Clay – Commanding General European Theater and Military Governor of Germany (three awards) *General
J. Lawton Collins General Joseph Lawton Collins (May 1, 1896 – September 12, 1987) was a senior United States Army officer. During World War II, he served in both the Pacific and European Theaters of Operations, one of a few senior American commanders to do so. ...
– US Army Chief of Staff (four awards) *General
Bantz J. Craddock Bantz John Craddock (born August 24, 1949) is a former United States Army general. His last military assignment was as Commander, United States European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe from December 2006 to June 30, 2009. He als ...
– Commander US European Command *General
Malin Craig Malin Craig (August 5, 1875 – July 25, 1945) was a general in the United States Army who served as the 14th Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1935 to 1939. He served in World War I and was recalled to active duty during World War II ...
– US Army Chief of Staff (three awards) *General
Martin E. Dempsey Martin “Marty” Edward Dempsey (born March 14, 1952), is a retired United States Army General (United States), general who served as the 18th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 2011 until September 25, 2015. He previously se ...
– Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (six awards) *General
Ann E. Dunwoody Ann Elizabeth Dunwoody (born January 14, 1953) is a retired general of the United States Army. She was the first woman in United States military and uniformed service history to achieve a four-star officer rank, receiving her fourth star on Nov ...
– First female US Army four-star general
United States Army Materiel Command U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC) is the primary provider of materiel to the United States Army. The Command's mission includes the management of installations, as well as maintenance and parts distribution. It was established on 8 May 1962 and wa ...
(two awards) *General John W. Foss - Commander Training and Doctrine Command (three awards) *General
Tommy Franks Tommy Ray Franks (born 17 June 1945) is a retired general in the United States Army. His last army post was as the Commander of the United States Central Command, overseeing United States military operations in a 25-country region, including t ...
– Commander US Central Command (two awards) *General John Galvin – NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe *General
Alfred Gruenther General Alfred Maximilian Gruenther (March 3, 1899 – May 30, 1983) was a senior United States Army officer, Red Cross president, and bridge player. After being commissioned towards the end of World War I, he served in the army throughout t ...
– NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (four awards) *General
Alexander Haig Alexander Meigs Haig Jr. (; December 2, 1924February 20, 2010) was United States Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan and White House Chief of Staff under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Prior to and in between these ...
– NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe *General
Carter Ham Carter Frederick Ham (born February 16, 1952) is a retired United States Army general who served as the second commander of United States Africa Command. As commander of Africa Command, he led Operation Odyssey Dawn, the initial United States ro ...
- Commander of
United States Africa Command The United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM, U.S. AFRICOM, and AFRICOM), is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for U ...
*General
John J. Hennessey John Joseph Timothy Hennesseyhttp://www.e-yearbook.com/yearbooks/United_States_Military_Academy_West_Point_Howitzer_Yearbook/1944/Page_384.html (August 20, 1921 – March 20, 2001) was a United States Army four-star general who served as Co ...
– Commander
United States Readiness Command In 1961 the United States Strike Command (STRICOM) was established at MacDill Air Force Base as a unified combatant command capable of responding to global crises. The name of the command was originally derived from the acronym for Swift Tactical ...
*General
John L. Hines John Leonard Hines (May 21, 1868 – October 13, 1968) was an American general who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1924 to 1926. Early career Born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, to Irish parents, Edward and Mary, ...
– US Army Chief of Staff *General
Harold K. Johnson Harold Keith "Johnny" Johnson (February 22, 1912 – September 24, 1983) was a United States Army general who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1964 to 1968. Regarded as a premier tactician, Johnson became skeptical that the ...
– US Army Chief of Staff (two awards) *General
George Joulwan George Alfred Joulwan (born November 16, 1939, Pottsville, Pennsylvania) is a retired United States Army general who served for 36 years. He finished his military career as the Commander-in-Chief of the United States European Command and NATO' ...
– NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe *General Lyman L. Lemnitzer – NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (four awards) *General
Peyton C. March General Peyton Conway March (December 27, 1864April 13, 1955) was a senior officer of the United States Army. He served in the Philippines, on the Mexican border, and World War I. March was the ninth Chief of Staff from 1918 to 1921, accomplis ...
– US Army Chief of Staff *General
Edward C. Meyer Edward Charles "Shy" Meyer (December 11, 1928 – October 13, 2020) was a United States Army general who served as the 29th Chief of Staff of the United States Army. Early life Meyer was born in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, on December 11, 1928. Upo ...
– US Army Chief of Staff *General
Mark Milley Mark Alexander Milley (born June 20, 1958) is a United States Army general who serves as the 20th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He previously served as the 39th chief of staff of the Army from August 14, 2015 to August 9, 2019, and hel ...
- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (four awards) *General
Lauris Norstad Lauris Norstad (March 24, 1907 – September 12, 1988) was an American general officer in the United States Army and United States Air Force. Early life and military career Lauris Norstad was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota to a Norwegian imm ...
– NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe *General
George S. Patton George Smith Patton Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, and the Third United States Army in France ...
– Commander US 3rd Army (three awards) *General
David Petraeus David Howell Petraeus (; born November 7, 1952) is a retired United States Army general and public official. He served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency from September 6, 2011, until his resignation on November 9, 2012. Prior to ...
– Commander International Security Assistance Force (three awards) *General
Colin Powell Colin Luther Powell ( ; April 5, 1937 – October 18, 2021) was an American politician, statesman, diplomat, and United States Army officer who served as the 65th United States Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005. He was the first Africa ...
– Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (two awards) *General
Dennis Reimer Dennis Joe Reimer (born July 12, 1939) is a retired general of the United States Army, who served as the 33rd Chief of Staff of the Army from June 20, 1995 to June 21, 1999. He is also a graduate of Ranger and Airborne school. Early life and e ...
– US Army Chief of Staff *General
Matthew B. Ridgeway General Matthew Bunker Ridgway (March 3, 1895 – July 26, 1993) was a senior officer in the United States Army, who served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (1952–1953) and the 19th Chief of Staff of the United States Army (1953–1955). Alt ...
– US Army Chief of Staff (four awards) *General
Bernard W. Rogers Bernard William Rogers (July 16, 1921 – October 27, 2008) was a United States Army general who served as the 28th Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and later as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and Commander in Chief, United Sta ...
– NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe *General Peter Schoomaker – US Army Chief of Staff (three awards) *General
Norman Schwarzkopf Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. (; August 22, 1934 – December 27, 2012) was a United States Army general. While serving as the commander of United States Central Command, he led all coalition forces in the Gulf War. Born in Trenton, N ...
– Commander of
Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
(three awards) *General
John Shalikashvili John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...
– Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff *General
Hugh Shelton Henry Hugh Shelton (born January 2, 1942) is a former United States Army officer who served as the 14th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1997 to 2001. Early life, family and education Shelton was born in Tarboro, North Carolina and g ...
– Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (three awards) *General
Eric Shinseki Eric Ken Shinseki (; born November 28, 1942) is a retired United States Army general who served as the seventh United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2009–2014). His final United States Army post was as the 34th Chief of Staff of the Arm ...
– US Army Chief of Staff (two awards) *General
Joseph Stilwell Joseph Warren "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell (March 19, 1883 – October 12, 1946) was a United States Army general who served in the China Burma India Theater during World War II. An early American popular hero of the war for leading a column walking ...
– Commander of the
China Burma India Theater China Burma India Theater (CBI) was the United States military designation during World War II for the China and Southeast Asian or India–Burma (IBT) theaters. Operational command of Allied forces (including U.S. forces) in the CBI was offi ...
*General
Maxwell D. Taylor Maxwell Davenport Taylor (August 26, 1901 – April 19, 1987) was a senior United States Army officer and diplomat of the mid-20th century. He served with distinction in World War II, most notably as commander of the 101st Airborne Division, n ...
– US Army Chief of Staff *General
James Van Fleet General James Alward Van Fleet (March 19, 1892 – September 23, 1992) was a United States Army officer who saw service during World War I, World War II and the Korean War. Van Fleet was a native of New Jersey, who was raised in Florida and gradu ...
– Commander US 8th Army in Korea *General Jonathan M. Wainwright – Commander Allied Forces Philippines *General
Walton Walker Walton Harris Walker (December 3, 1889 – December 23, 1950) was a United States Army four-star general who served with distinction in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War, where he commanded the Eighth United States Army before dyin ...
– Commander US 8th Army in Korea (two awards) *General William Westmoreland – US Army Chief of Staff (four awards) *General
Earle G. Wheeler Earle Gilmore Wheeler (January 13, 1908 – December 18, 1975), nicknamed Bus, was a United States Army general who served as the chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1962 to 1964 and then as the sixth chairman of the Joint Chiefs ...
– Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (two awards) *
Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on th ...
John B. Coulter Lieutenant General John Breitling Coulter (April 27, 1891 – March 6, 1983) was a senior United States Army officer. Enjoying a distinguished 40-year military career, Coulter served during World War I, World War II and the Korean War. Early ...
(three awards) *Lieutenant General
Harris W. Hollis Lieutenant General Harris Whitton Hollis (25 June 191921 March 1999) was a United States Army officer who served in World War II and the Vietnam War. Early life Hollis was born in Richburg, South Carolina. He graduated from Oakley Hall Hig ...
- Commanding General, 9th and 25th Infantry Divisions in South Vietnam *Lieutenant General
Henry E. Emerson Henry Everett "Hank" Emerson (May 28, 1925 – February 4, 2015) was a United States Army lieutenant general best known for being the commander of the 2nd Infantry Division in South KoreaCharles Flynn - 25th Infantry Division *Lieutenant General Mark P. Hertling – Commanding General of US Army Europe *Lieutenant General Kenneth W. Hunzeker *Lieutenant General
John C. H. Lee John Clifford Hodges Lee (1 August 1887 – 30 August 1958) was a career US Army engineer, who rose to the rank of lieutenant general and commanded the Communications Zone (ComZ) in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. A gra ...
– Commanding General
Army Service Forces The Army Service Forces was one of the three autonomous components of the United States Army during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Ground Forces, created on 9 March 1942. By dividing the Army into three large comman ...
Europe WWII *Lieutenant General
Hunter Liggett Lieutenant General Hunter Liggett (March 21, 1857 − December 30, 1935) was a senior United States Army officer. His 42 years of military service spanned the period from the Indian campaigns to the trench warfare of World War I. Additionall ...
*Lieutenant General Edward J. O'Neill – with 1 bronze oak leaf cluster in lieu of subsequent award of medal *Lieutenant General
Ricardo Sanchez Ricardo Sanchez (born September 9, 1953) is a former lieutenant general in the United States Army. His career was most notable for his service as commander of Multi-National Force – Iraq and V Corps. Early life and education Sánchez was bor ...
– Commanding General V Corps (two awards) *Lieutenant General Eric Schoomaker – 42nd Surgeon General of the United States Army *Lieutenant General
William Wilson Quinn Lieutenant General William Wilson "Buffalo Bill" Quinn (November 1, 1907 – September 11, 2000) was a United States Army officer, who served in intelligence during World War II. Born in Crisfield, Somerset, Maryland and a 1933 graduate of West ...
– Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor *Lieutenant General
Nadja West Nadja Yudith West (née Grammer; March 20, 1961) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general and the 44th Surgeon General of the United States Army and former Commanding General of the United States Army Medical Command. West, a physician, ...
– 44th Surgeon General of the United States Army *
Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
Gladeon M. Barnes Gladeon Marcus Barnes (15 June 1887 – 15 November 1961) was a United States Army major general who, as Chief of Research and Engineering in the Ordnance Department, was responsible for the development of 1,600 different weapons. He is best kn ...
– Chief of Research and Engineering *Major General
Chester V. Clifton Chester Victor Clifton Jr. (September 24, 1913 – December 23, 1991) was a Major general (United States), major general in the United States Army and an aide to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Biography Clifton was born ...
– Military Aide to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson *Major General William E. Cole – Commander 351st Field Artillery 1917-18 *Major General
William J. Donovan William Joseph "Wild Bill" Donovan (January 1, 1883 – February 8, 1959) was an American soldier, lawyer, intelligence officer and diplomat, best known for serving as the head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the Bur ...
– founder of the
Office of Strategic Services The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was the intelligence agency of the United States during World War II. The OSS was formed as an agency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to coordinate espionage activities behind enemy lines for all branc ...
*Major General
James L. Dozier James Lee Dozier (born April 10, 1931) is a retired United States Army officer. In December 1981, he was kidnapped by the Italian Red Brigades Marxist guerilla group. He was rescued by NOCS, an Italian special force, with assistance from the I ...
– deputy chief of staff at NATO's Southern European land forces *Major General Lawrence J. Fuller – deputy director of the
Defense Intelligence Agency The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) is an intelligence agency and combat support agency of the United States Department of Defense, specializing in defense and military intelligence. A component of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the ...
*Major General
Charles M. Gettys Charles Martin Gettys (January 1, 1915 – November 20, 1982) was a United States Army Major general (United States), Major General who served as commander of the 23rd Infantry Division (United States)#Vietnam, 23rd Infantry Division (Americal Di ...
– commanding general, 23rd Infantry Division *Major General
George W. Goethals George Washington Goethals ( June 29, 1858 – January 21, 1928) was a United States Army General and civil engineer, best known for his administration and supervision of the construction and the opening of the Panama Canal. He was the State E ...
– engineer of the
Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a condui ...
*Major General William C. Gorgas – Surgeon General of the Army *Major General
Patrick J. Hurley Patrick Jay Hurley (January 8, 1883July 30, 1963) was an American politician and diplomat. He was the United States Secretary of War from 1929 to 1933, but is best remembered for being Ambassador to China in 1945, during which he was instrumenta ...
*Major General
Edward Mann Lewis Major General Edward Mann Lewis, KCMG, (December 10, 1863 – July 27, 1949) was a highly decorated United States Army officer who served his nation for 46 years. During the First World War, he led the 30th Infantry Division when they broke the H ...
*Major General
Henry Balding Lewis Major General Henry Balding Lewis, CBE, (May 8, 1889 – May 21, 1966) was a United States Army officer who served in the Border War, Tientsin China, World War I and World War II. He served as adjutant general, United States Military Academy at ...
*Major General
Robert McGowan Littlejohn Robert McGowan Littlejohn (23 October 1890 – 6 May 1982) was a major general in the United States Army who graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1912. He served with the Pancho Villa Expedition and ...
*Major General
Viet Xuan Luong Việt Xuan Luong (Vietnamese language, Vietnamese: ''Lương Xuân Việt'') is a retired United States Army Major general (United States), major general. He is the first American officer promoted to general officer rank who was born in Vietnam. ...
– United States Army, Japan. *Major General Mason M. Patrick *Major General
Maurice Rose Maurice Rose (November 26, 1899 – March 30, 1945) was a career officer in the United States Army who attained the rank of major general. A veteran of World War I and World War II, Rose was commanding the 3rd Armored Division when he was kil ...
– commanding general 3rd Armored Division *Major General
John K. Singlaub Major General John Kirk Singlaub (July 10, 1921 – January 29, 2022) was a major general in the United States Army, founding member of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and a highly decorated officer in the former Office of Strategic Servi ...
*Major General
Arthur R. Wilson Major General Arthur Riehl Wilson CBE (July 18, 1894 – August 11, 1956) was a highly decorated United States Army officer who served during World War I and World War II. He wrote an account of U.S. Army operations in North Africa titled ''R ...
*Major General Cedric T. Wins *
Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointe ...
Sherwood Cheney – chief of the Army Transport Service during World War I *Brigadier General
Charles G. Dawes Charles Gates Dawes (August 27, 1865 – April 23, 1951) was an American banker, general, diplomat, composer, and Republican politician who was the 30th vice president of the United States from 1925 to 1929 under Calvin Coolidge. He was a co-rec ...
– Vice President of the United States *Brigadier General
Anna Mae Hays Anna Mae Violet Hays ( McCabe; February 16, 1920 – January 7, 2018) was an American military officer who served as the 13th chief of the United States Army Nurse Corps. She was the first woman in the United States Armed Forces to be promoted to ...
– chief of the
United States Army Nurse Corps The United States Army Nurse Corps (USANC) was formally established by the U.S. Congress in 1901. It is one of the six medical special branches (or "corps") of officers which – along with medical enlisted soldiers – comprise the Army Medica ...
and first female US Army general *Brigadier General
Frank T. Hines Frank Thomas Hines (April 11, 1879 – April 3, 1960) was a United States military officer and head of the U.S. Veterans Bureau (later Veteran's Administration) from 1923 to 1945. Hines took over as head of the Veterans Bureau after a series of s ...
– director of the
Veterans Administration The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing life-long healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers an ...
*Brigadier General Howard Knox Ramey *Brigadier General
Frank Merrill Frank Dow Merrill (December 4, 1903 – December 11, 1955) was a United States Army general and is best remembered for his command of Merrill's Marauders, officially the 5307th Composite Unit (provisional), in the Burma Campaign of World War II ...
*Brigadier General Greg Parker *Brigadier General Russell W. Volckmann *
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...
Frank Capra Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-born American film director, producer and writer who became the creative force behind some of the major award-winning films of the 1930s ...
– movie director (received as a colonel,
Army of the United States The Army of the United States is one of the four major service components of the United States Army (the others being the Regular Army, the United States Army Reserve and the Army National Guard of the United States), but it has been inactive ...
in WW II) *Colonel
Harvey Williams Cushing Harvey Williams Cushing (April 8, 1869 – October 7, 1939) was an American neurosurgeon, pathologist, writer, and draftsman. A pioneer of brain surgery, he was the first exclusive neurosurgeon and the first person to describe Cushing's disease ...
– neurosurgeon *Colonel Horatio B. Hackett – Assistant administrator of the
Public Works Administration The Public Works Administration (PWA), part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Reco ...
; noted architect and businessman; football official and player *Colonel
Oveta Culp Hobby Oveta Culp Hobby (January 19, 1905 – August 16, 1995) was an American politician and businessperson who served as the first United States secretary of health, education, and welfare from 1953 to 1955. A member of the Republican Party, Hobby wa ...
– director of the
Women's Army Corps The Women's Army Corps (WAC) was the women's branch of the United States Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) on 15 May 1942 and converted to an active duty status in the Army of the United States ...
during World War II *Colonel
Herbert H. Lehman Herbert Henry Lehman (March 28, 1878 – December 5, 1963) was an American Democratic Party politician from New York. He served from 1933 until 1942 as the 45th governor of New York and represented New York State in the U.S. Senate from 1949 ...
– Governor of New York and United States Senator *Colonel Floyd James Thompson – The longest-held prisoner of war in American history *
Major Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...
David A. Reed David Aiken Reed (December 21, 1880February 10, 1953) was an American lawyer and Republican party politician from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate from 1922 to 1935. He was a co-author of the restr ...
– U.S. Senator for Pennsylvania, 1922, for service as a major in World War I *Major Forsyth Wickes – socialite, philanthropist and collector *Chaplain
Francis P. Duffy Francis Patrick Duffy (May 2, 1871 – June 27, 1932) was a Canadian American soldier, Catholic priest and military chaplain. Duffy served as chaplain for the 69th Infantry Regiment (known as the "Fighting 69th"), a unit of the New York Army Na ...
– chaplain of the " Fighting 69th" *Major
Herbert O. Yardley Herbert Osborn Yardley (April 13, 1889 – August 7, 1958) was an American cryptologist. He founded and led the cryptographic organization the Black Chamber. Under Yardley, the cryptanalysts of The American Black Chamber broke Japanese diplomatic ...
– cryptologist *
Sergeant Major of the Army The Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) is a unique non-commissioned rank and position of office in the United States Army. The holder of this rank and position is the most senior enlisted soldier in the Army, unless an enlisted soldier is servi ...
Daniel A. Dailey


United States Navy

* Fleet Admiral
Chester W. Nimitz Chester William Nimitz (; February 24, 1885 – February 20, 1966) was a fleet admiral in the United States Navy. He played a major role in the naval history of World War II as Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet, and Commander in C ...
Chief of Naval Operations The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...
*Fleet Admiral
William F. Halsey William Frederick "Bull" Halsey Jr. (October 30, 1882 – August 16, 1959) was an American Navy admiral during World War II. He is one of four officers to have attained the rank of five-star fleet admiral of the United States Navy, the other ...
– Commander of the 3rd Fleet *
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet ...
William S. Benson William Shepherd Benson (25 September 1855 – 20 May 1932) was an admiral in the United States Navy and the first chief of naval operations (CNO), holding the post throughout World War I. Early life and career Born in Bibb County, Georgia ...
- Chief of Naval Operations *Admiral
William J. Crowe, Jr. William James Crowe Jr. (January 2, 1925 – October 18, 2007) was a United States Navy Admiral (United States), admiral and diplomat who served as the 11th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. B ...
– Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff *Admiral
William Fechteler William Morrow Fechteler (March 6, 1896 – July 4, 1967) was an admiral in the United States Navy who served as Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower administration. Biography Fechteler was born in San Rafael, California, on Mar ...
- Chief of Naval Operations *Admiral
Albert Gleaves Albert Gleaves (January 1, 1858 – January 6, 1937) was a decorated admiral in the United States Navy, also notable as a naval historian. Biography Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Gleaves graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1877. ...
- Commander of the Asiatic Fleet *Admiral
Jonathan Greenert Jonathan William Greenert (born May 15, 1953) is a former United States Navy admiral who served as the 30th Chief of Naval Operations from September 23, 2011, to September 18, 2015. He previously served as the 36th Vice Chief of Naval Operations ...
- Chief of Naval Operations *Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid - Commander Sixteenth Fleet *Admiral William V. Pratt - Chief of Naval Operations *Admiral
U. S. Grant Sharp Jr. Ulysses Simpson Grant Sharp Jr. (April 2, 1906 – December 12, 2001) was a United States Navy four star admiral who served as Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT) from 1963 to 1964; and Commander-in-Chief, United States ...
- Commander US Pacific Command *Admiral
Raymond A. Spruance Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 – December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II. He commanded U.S. naval forces during one of the most significant naval battles that took place in the Pacific Theatre: the Battle ...
– Commander of the
5th Fleet The Fifth Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. It has been responsible for naval forces in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean since 1995 after a 48-year hiatus. It shares a commander and headq ...
(later Ambassador to the
Philippines 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 ...
) *Admiral
Harold Rainsford Stark Harold Rainsford Stark (November 12, 1880 – August 20, 1972) was an officer in the United States Navy during World War I and World War II, who served as the 8th Chief of Naval Operations from August 1, 1939 to March 26, 1942. Early life an ...
- Chief of Naval Operations *Admiral Carlisle Trost – Chief of Naval Operations *Admiral Henry B. Wilson - Commander of the Atlantic Fleet *Vice admiral (United States), Vice Admiral Robert L. Ghormley *Vice Admiral Henry Kent Hewitt (with oak leaf cluster) *Rear admiral (United States), Rear Admiral Hilary P. Jones *Rear Admiral Charles P. Plunkett


United States Marine Corps

*General Paul X. Kelley *General Vernon E. Megee, *General Peter Pace – Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff *Major General Graves B. Erskine *Major General Smedley Butler *Major General John A. Lejeune


United States Air Force

Note – includes Army Air Service, Army Air Corps and Army Air Forces *General of the Air Force Hap Arnold – commander of the Army Air Forces *General Jimmy Doolittle *General Edwin W. Rawlings *General Joseph McNarney *General Hoyt S. Vandenberg – Air Force Chief of Staff and Director of Central Intelligence *General George C. Kenney *General Curtis Lemay – Air Force Chief of Staff *General Carl Spaatz – Air Force Chief of Staff *General Michael E. Ryan *Lieutenant General Claire Lee Chennault (with oak leaf cluster) – Leader of the Flying Tigers *Major General Billy Mitchell, USAAC – Military air power prophet *Brigadier General
Chuck Yeager Brigadier General Charles Elwood Yeager ( , February 13, 1923December 7, 2020) was a United States Air Force officer, flying ace, and record-setting test pilot who in October 1947 became the first pilot in history confirmed to have exceeded the ...
– Legendary test pilot *Colonel Bernt Balchen, USAF – Legendary Norwegian-American pilot and arctic explorer. *Captain John Birch (missionary), John Birch, USAAF – Missionary, guerilla leader and namesake of the John Birch Society *Brigadier General Darr H. Alkire


Civilians

*Grace Banker – chief telephone operator of mobile for the
American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (A. E. F.) was a formation of the United States Army on the Western Front of World War I. The A. E. F. was established on July 5, 1917, in France under the command of General John J. Pershing. It fought along ...
*Bernard Baruch – chairman, War Industries Board, 1918 *Evangeline Booth – General of the Salvation Army *Jacqueline Cochran – Aviator and founder of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) *Henry Pomeroy Davison – director of the American Red Cross *Jane Delano – Founder of the American Red Cross Nursing Service *James Forrestal - United States Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Defense *Harry Augustus Garfield – U.S. Fuel Administrator *Harry Hopkins – Presidential aide *Edward N. Hurley – chairman, Federal Trade Commission, American Shipping Board *Robert McNamara – Secretary of Defense *Hannah J. Patterson – resident director of the Women's Committee of the Council of National Defense *Anna Howard Shaw – head of the Women's Committee of the Council of National Defense *Edward R. Stettinius – director general of purchases for the War Department *John F. Stevens – Engineer of the
Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a condui ...
and the Great Northern Railway (U.S.), Great Northern Railway *
Henry L. Stimson Henry Lewis Stimson (September 21, 1867 – October 20, 1950) was an American statesman, lawyer, and Republican Party politician. Over his long career, he emerged as a leading figure in U.S. foreign policy by serving in both Republican and ...
– Secretary of War


Foreigners

*Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby, General (later Field Marshal), British Army *HM Albert I of Belgium, Albert I, King of Belgians *Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke, field marshal, British Army *Pietro Badoglio, general, Italian Army *William Birdwood, 1st Baron Birdwood, general, British Indian Army (during secondment to Australian Army, later promoted to Field Marshal) *Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy, General (later Field Marshal), British Army *Sir Winston Churchill KG, OM, PC, CH, FRS – British Minister of Munitions (later Prime Minister) *Harry Crerar, lieutenant general, Canadian Army *Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope, Admiral of the Fleet, Royal Navy *Sir
Arthur Currie General Sir Arthur William Currie, (5 December 187530 November 1933) was a senior officer of the Canadian Army who fought during World War I. He had the unique distinction of starting his military career on the very bottom rung as a pre-wa ...
, lieutenant general, British Army, commanding Canadian Corps *Georges de Bazelaire, major general, VII Army Corps of the French Army during World War I *Sir Francis de Guingand, major general, British Army *Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, general, French Army (later a Marshal of France) *Sir Miles Dempsey, general, British Army *Sir John Dill, field marshal, British Army *
Ferdinand Foch Ferdinand Foch ( , ; 2 October 1851 – 20 March 1929) was a French general and military theorist who served as the Supreme Allied Commander during the First World War. An aggressive, even reckless commander at the First Marne, Flanders and Ar ...
, Marshal of France, French Army *
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, (; 19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928) was a senior officer of the British Army. During the First World War, he commanded the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front from late 1915 unt ...
, field marshal, British Army *Arthur Travers Harris, Arthur T. Harris, air chief marshal, Royal Air Force (later a Marshal of the Royal Air Force) *Chiang Kai-shek, general, Chinese Army *Charles Mangin, general, French Army *Paul Maistre, general, French Army *Sir Richard McCreery, general, British Army *Lord Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner, Alfred Milner, British Secretary of State for War *
Živojin Mišić Field Marshal Živojin Mišić ( sr-cyrl, Живојин Мишић; 19 July 1855 in Struganik – 20 January 1921 in Belgrade) was a Field Marshal who participated in all of Serbia's wars from 1876 to 1918. He directly commanded the First Se ...
, field marshal, Serbian Army *Sir
John Monash General Sir John Monash, (; 27 June 1865 – 8 October 1931) was an Australian civil engineer and military commander of the First World War. He commanded the 13th Infantry Brigade before the war and then, shortly after its outbreak, became c ...
, general, Australian Army *Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, field marshal, British Army *Sir Frederick E. Morgan, lieutenant general, British Army *Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, admiral, Royal Navy (later Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy), Admiral of the Fleet) *Henri Petain, Marshal of France, French Army *Alexander Pokryshkin, Marshal of the Soviet Air Force *Charles Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford, Marshal of the Royal Air Force *Sir William Robertson, 1st Baronet, field marshal, British Army *Frederick Sykes, Chief of the Air Staff (United Kingdom) *Arthur Tedder, 1st Baron Tedder, air chief marshal, Royal Air Force (later Marshal of the Royal Air Force) *Sir Henry Worth Thornton, major general, British Army (American-born) *Gerald Trotter, brigadier-general, British Army *Sir Thomas Montgomery-Cuninghame, 10th Baronet of Corsehill, brevet lieutenant colonel, military attache, British Army *Maxime Weygand, general, French Army


See also

*
Navy Distinguished Service Medal The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919 and is presented to sailors and Marines to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritoriou ...
*
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal The Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (AFDSM) is a military decoration of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force and is presented to airmen and guardians to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritorious service to ...
*Awards and decorations of the United States military *Awards and decorations of the United States Army


References


External links


Department of the Army Regulation 600-8-22; Military Awards; 2006-12-11; Effective date: 2007-01-11.Department of the Army Regulation 670-1; Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia; 2005-02-03; Effective date: 2005-03-03.Distinguished Service Medal - Criteria, Background, and Images

''Congressional Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, and Distinguished Service Medal Issued by The War Department''
1919 {{USArmy decorations Awards and decorations of the United States Army Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army), * Awards established in 1918