The Philippine Defense Medal is 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 ...

and decoration of the

Republic of 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 ...

which is awarded to recognize the initial resistance against

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

ese invasion between the dates of 8 December 1941 and 15 June 1942. The award was first created in December 1944, and was issued as the Philippine Defense Ribbon. A full-sized medal was authorized and added in July, 1945.

Criteria

The Philippine Defense Medal is presented to any service member, of either the Philippine military or an allied armed force, which participated in the defense of the Philippine Islands between December 8, 1941 and June 15, 1942. Participation in any engagement against the enemy in Philippine territory, in Philippine waters, or in the air over the Philippines or over Philippine waters. An individual will be considered as having participated in an engagement if they meet one of the following:Air Force's Personnel Center, Philippine Defense Ribbon
/ref> :(A) Participation in any engagement against the enemy in Philippine territory, in Philippine waters, or in the air over the Philippines or over Philippine waters. An individual will be considered as having participated in an engagement if they meet one of the following. :(1) Was a member of the defense garrison of the Bataan Peninsula or of the fortified islands at the entrance to Manila Bay. :(2) Was a member of and present with a unit actually under enemy fire or air attack. :(3) Served on a ship that was under enemy fire or air attack. :(4) Was a crewmember or passenger in an airplane that was under enemy aerial or ground fire. :(B) Assigned or stationed in Philippine territory or in Philippine waters for not less than 30 days during the period. :(C) Individuals who meet conditions set forth in paragraphs (A) and (B) of this section are authorized to wear a bronze

service star A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star inch (4.8 mm) in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or ser ...

on the ribbon. The Philippine Defense Medal was awarded to the United States and Philippine Commonwealth troops which defended the Philippines at

Bataan Bataan (), officially the Province of Bataan ( fil, Lalawigan ng Bataan ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Its capital is the city of Balanga while Mariveles is the largest town in the province. Occupying the entir ...

and would later be captured and forced to endure the

Bataan Death March The Bataan Death March (Filipino: ''Martsa ng Kamatayan sa Bataan''; Spanish: ''Marcha de la muerte de Bataán'' ; Kapampangan: ''Martsa ning Kematayan quing Bataan''; Japanese: バターン死の行進, Hepburn: ''Batān Shi no Kōshin'') was ...

Recipients

* Ramon A. Alcaraz *

Donald Blackburn Brigadier General Donald Dunwody Blackburn (September 14, 1916 – May 24, 2008) was a United States Army Special Forces officer, best known for his significant command and developmental roles in the U.S. Army Special Forces. He was also the comm ...

* John D. Bulkeley *

Jose Calugas Jose Cabalfin Calugas (December 29, 1907 – January 18, 1998) was a member of the Philippine Scouts during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Battle of Bataan. At the age of 23, Calugas joined the Philippine Sc ...

* James W. Coe * Edwin A. Doss * Richard W. Fellows *

Guy Fort Guy O. Fort (January 1, 1879 – November 11, 1942) was a brigadier general in the Philippine Army under the control of the United States Army Forces in the Far East. Fort led the 81st Division (Philippines) during the initial Battle of the Phi ...

Amado F. Gador Amado may refer to: Places * Amado, Arizona Name * Amado Crowley (1930–2010), occult teacher and self-proclaimed illegitimate son of Aleister Crowley * Amado Carrillo Fuentes (1956-1997), Mexican drug kingpin and former leader of the Juárez Ca ...

Noel Gayler Noel Arthur Meredyth Gayler ( ; December 25, 1913 – July 14, 2011) was an admiral in the United States Navy, who served as the sixth Director of the National Security Agency from 1969 to 1972, and ninth Commander of Pacific Command from 1972 to ...

Harold Keith 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 ...

Edward P. King Edward Postell King Jr. (July 4, 1884 – August 31, 1958) was a major general in the United States Army who gained prominence for leading the defense of the Bataan Peninsula in the Battle of Bataan against the Japanese invasion of the Philippi ...

Emilio S. Liwanag Captain Emilio S. Liwanag (March 27, 1911 – April 12, 1967) was an officer in the Philippine Navy who served during the World War II, Second World War and the Korean War. He started his military career as a 3rd Lieutenant with the 3rd Light In ...

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 C ...

William G. Martin William George Martin (September 13, 1886 – December 19, 1973) was a Canadian clergyman and politician. Martin represented Brantford in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1926 to 1934 as a Conservative member and St. Matthews as a Pr ...

* George F. Moore *

Emmett O'Donnell Jr. General Emmett E. "Rosie" O'Donnell Jr. (September 15, 1906 – December 26, 1971) was a United States Air Force four-star general who served as Commander in Chief, Pacific Air Forces (CINCPACAF) from 1959 to 1963. He also led the first B-29 ...

Moises Pama Moises or Moisés is a male name common among people of Iberian origin. It is the Spanish, Portuguese and Tagalog equivalent of the name Moses. ;Places * Doctor Moisés Bertoni, a village in the Caazapá department of Paraguay * Moises Padilla, ...

* George M. Parker * Royal Reynolds, Jr. *

Manuel F. Segura Manuel Felimon Segura (January 1, 1919 – November 27, 2013) was a colonel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines with assigned serial number 0-3547 AFP. He was G-1 and adjutant general in the General Headquarters of the Cebuano people, Cebu ...

Susano Madril Susano may refer to: * Susanoo __FORCETOC__ Susanoo (; historical orthography: , ) is a in Japanese mythology. The younger brother of Amaterasu, goddess of the sun and mythical ancestress of the Japanese imperial line, he is a multifaceted ...

Edward Thiele Edward Thiele was a rear admiral in the United States Coast Guard. Biography Thiele was born on September 4, 1905, in Washington, D.C. He graduated from McKinley Technology High School. Thiele died in 1981. Career Thiele was originally a member ...

Jesus M. Vargas Jesus Miranda Vargas (22 March 1905 – 25 March 1994) served as Secretary of National Defense and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. In his later years, he was the Secretary-General of Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEA ...

* Walter A. Ditto * Jonathan M. Wainwright * Frank D. Wagner * Charles A. Willoughby

Similar awards

Similar Philippine medals include the

Philippine Liberation Medal The Philippine Liberation Medal is a military award of the Republic of the Philippines which was created by an order of Commonwealth Army of the Philippines Headquarters on 20 December 1944, and was issued as the Philippine Liberation Ribbon. The d ...

and the

Philippine Independence Medal The Philippine Independence Medal is a military award and decoration of the Republic of the Philippines which was created by order of the Philippine Army Headquarters on 3 July 1946 as the Philippine Independence Ribbon. The medal was added in 196 ...

. Members of the United States Armed Forces entitled to the Philippine Defense Medal were also eligible to receive the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with a bronze "battle star" (" service star) for participation in the defense of the Philippines.

References

Citations

{{reflist, 1

Bibliography

* The AFP Adjutant General, ''AFP Awards and Decorations Handbook'', 1995, 1997, OTAG.

External links

Philippine Defense Medal : Display RecognitionThe American war Library
Military awards and decorations of the Philippines Military history of the Philippines during World War II