The Distinguished Service Medal (Navy & Marines)

Time Period: The Great War
Institution: 4 February 1919
Country: United States

The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration, first created in 1919, of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. It recognizes distinguished and exceptionally meritorious service to the country while serving in a duty or position of great responsibility.

At the start of World War I, the Navy had the Medal of Honor as the only decoration with which to recognize heroism. At a level below, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and the Navy Cross were created by Public Law 253 on 4 February 1919. The Navy Distinguished Service Medal remained senior to the Navy Cross until August 1942, when the precedence of the two decorations was reversed.

To justify this decoration, exceptional performance of duty must be clearly above that normally expected, and contributes to the success of a major command or project. The decoration is normally only bestowed to senior Navy flag officers and Marine Corps general officers, or extremely senior enlisted positions. In rare instances, it has also been awarded to Navy captains and Marine Corps colonels.

The Navy Distinguished Service Medal Design

The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a gilt bronze medallion measuring 1.25 inches (32 mm) in diameter.

The obverse features an American bald eagle in the center displaying its wings (the eagle holds an olive branch in its right talon and arrows in its left talons and is surrounded by a blue enameled ring with the words “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” at the top and “NAVY” at the bottom).

Surrounding the blue enamel ring is a gold border of scroll waves depicted moving in a clockwise direction. The medal is surmounted by a white five-pointed star, point up, the points of the star being tipped with gold balls. In the center of the star is a blue anchor, while gold rays radiate between the arms of the star.

The reverse depicts a trident surrounded by a laurel wreath, and surrounded itselft by a blue enamel ring containing the inscription “FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE”.

The medal’s suspension and service ribbon is navy blue with a single central stripe of yellow. Additional awards of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal are denoted by gold and silver 5/16 inch stars worn on the medal’s suspension and service ribbon.