The American Campaign Medal

Time Period: Second World War
Institution: 7 December 1941
Country: United States

The American Campaign Medal is a United States Armed Forces military award created on November 6, 1942 and issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Executive Order 9265 ). The first person to ever receive the American Campaign Medal was General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff of the Army.

Who was awarded the American Campaign Medal?

The American Campaign Medal recognizes military members who have performed service in the American Theater of Operations during World War II. There is a similar medal, named the American Defense Service Medal, that was awarded for active duty service before the United States entered the Second World War.

What are the Requirements of the American Campaign Medal?

There are some specific requirements for the American Campaign Medal. These are as follows: Service within the American Theater between the dates of 7 December 1941 and 2 March 1946 under any of these conditions:

On permanent assignment outside the continental limits of the United States.
Permanently assigned as a member of a crew of a vessel sailing ocean waters for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days.
Outside the continental limits of the U.S. in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days.
In active combat against the enemy, and awarded a combat decoration or with a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the Soldier actually participated in combat.
Within the continental limits of the United States for an aggregate period of 1 year.

Who was Awarded the American Campaign Medal?

What are the Requirements of the American Campaign Medal?

On permanent assignment outside the continental limits of the United States.
Permanently assigned as a member of a crew of a vessel sailing ocean waters for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days.
Outside the continental limits of the U.S. in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days.
In active combat against the enemy, and awarded a combat decoration or with a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the Soldier actually participated in combat.
Within the continental limits of the United States for an aggregate period of 1 year.

The American Campaign Medal Design

The American Campaign Medal is made of bronze and measures 1 1/4 inches wide.

The obverse was designed by Thomas Hudson Jones, a U.S. sculptor for the Army’s Institute of Heraldry. It shows a Navy cruiser underway with a B-24 Liberator bomber flying overhead. In the foreground is a sinking enemy submarine, and in the background is the skyline of a city. At the top of the medal are the words AMERICAN CAMPAIGN.

The reverse of the American Campaign Medal, created by Adolph Alexander Weinman, is the same as used on both the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. It depicts an American bald eagle between the dates 1941 – 1945 and the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

The American Campaign Medal ribbon is 1 3/8 inches wide and the colors are oriental blue in the center stripe divided into thirds of old glory blue (to represent the Americas), white, and scarlet (the continuance of American defense after Pearl Harbor). Between the center and the edges are stripes of white, black, scarlet and white. The white and black stripes represent the German part of the conflict on the Atlantic Coast, while the red and white stripes are for the Japanese colors and refer to that part of the conflict on the Pacific Coast.

The American Campaign Medal Campaign: For the Navy

Recipients of the American Campaign Medal need to have participated in the following escort, armed guard, antisubmarine, and special operations. They are to receive one campaign star for each participation:

Convoy ON 67 between 21 and 26 February 1942.
USS Atik (AK-101) on 27 March 1942.
USS Asterion (AK-100) between 22 March 1942 and 31 January 1943.
Task Group 21.13 between 12 July and 28 August 1942.
Convoy TAG 18 1 on 6 November 1942.
Convoy SC 107 between 3 and 8 November 1942.
Task Group 21.14 between 27 July and 10 September 1943.
Task Group 21.15 between 24 March and 11 May 1944.
USS Frederick C. Davis (DE-136) on 24 April 1945.
USS Atherton (DE-169) and USS Moberly (PF-63) on 6 May 1945.

The American Campaign Medal Campaign: For the Army

There is an authorized bronze service star for participation in antisubmarine operations (USS Asterion AK-100 and USS Frederick C. Davis DE-136). To qualify for them, individuals have to have been assigned to and present for duty with a unit having antisubmarine campaign credit.