American Campaign Medal

American Campaign Medal. The American Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942, by Executive Order 9265 issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was awarded for qualifying service within the American Theater of operations during World War II, recognizing service members who performed duty in the continental United States or in surrounding ocean areas. It was established to honor those who contributed to the defense of the Western Hemisphere during the conflict, serving alongside awards like the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.

Background and establishment

The need for a distinct campaign medal for service in the Western Hemisphere arose following the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent entry of the United States into World War II. Prior to its creation, service within the continental United States was recognized only by the American Defense Service Medal. Executive Order 9265, which established the medal, was part of a broader system of awards defined by the War Department and the Navy Department to cover all major theaters of the war. The medal's establishment was influenced by the strategic importance of protecting vital sea lanes in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea from German U-boat attacks, as well as the defense of locations like the Panama Canal and Alaska. The authority for the medal was later codified by an Act of Congress in July 1945.

Criteria for award

To be awarded the medal, service members must have performed duty outside the continental United States but within the American Theater for at least 30 consecutive days, or 60 non-consecutive days, between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946. The defined theater encompassed the entire continental United States, along with a vast area of the surrounding oceans. This included operations in the North Atlantic, the region of Greenland, and south to the equator in the South Atlantic, as well as the Gulf of Mexico and coastal waters off Florida. Permanent assignment outside the U.S., or combat against the enemy, such as engagements with Kriegsmarine submarines, also qualified. Service on ships that earned combat stars for actions like the Battle of the Atlantic could result in additional attachment of campaign stars.

Description and symbolism

The medal's bronze disc was designed by the United States Army Institute of Heraldry. The obverse depicts a B-24 Liberator bomber flying over a sinking enemy submarine and a surface warship, symbolizing the threat to Allied shipping. In the foreground is a representation of the United States Capitol building, emphasizing the defense of the homeland. The reverse features an American bald eagle standing on a rock, symbolizing strength and vigilance, with the inscriptions “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and the dates “1941-1945”. The ribbon's central blue stripe represents the Navy, flanked by stripes of red, white, and black, with the outer stripes of white, red, and blue symbolizing the Army and the nation. The medal was manufactured at the Philadelphia Mint.

Recipients and notable awards

The medal was awarded to hundreds of thousands of members of the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, and United States Merchant Marine who met the service criteria. Notable recipients include Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, General George C. Marshall, and Admiral Ernest King. While often associated with support and service roles within the hemisphere, it was also awarded to personnel involved in direct combat, such as those serving on the USS *Bogue* during anti-submarine operations. The medal was frequently awarded alongside the World War II Victory Medal. No units were authorized to display a campaign streamer for this medal.

Order of precedence and related awards

In the order of precedence of United States military awards and decorations, the American Campaign Medal is worn after the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and before the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. It is part of a family of World War II service medals that also includes the pre-war American Defense Service Medal and the post-war World War II Victory Medal. Personnel who served prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor would have qualified for the American Defense Service Medal, often with the appropriate service clasp such as the Foreign Service Clasp. For service exclusively within the continental United States, the medal was the primary theater award, distinguishing it from medals for overseas combat theaters like the Pacific Theater. Category:United States campaign medals Category:World War II awards and decorations of the United States Category:Military awards and decorations of the United States Army Category:Military awards and decorations of the United States Navy Category:Military awards and decorations of the United States Marine Corps Category:Military awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard