World War II Victory Medal (United States)

World War II Victory Medal (United States) is a service medal of the United States Armed Forces established to recognize all military personnel who served during the Second World War. Authorized by an Act of Congress, it commemorates the global Allied victory over the Axis powers. The medal's design incorporates symbolic elements representing the triumph of democracy and the end of the conflict.

History and establishment

The concept for a victory medal originated during the final stages of World War II, following the precedent set by the World War I Victory Medal. On July 6, 1945, Public Law 135, 79th Congress, was signed by President Harry S. Truman, formally establishing the award. Its creation was influenced by the desire to provide a singular emblem of service commemorating the conclusion of the Pacific War and the European Theatre. The War Department and the Navy Department jointly administered the medal, with the first awards distributed in 1946 following the official end of hostilities after the Surrender of Japan.

Design and symbolism

The medal was designed by Thomas Hudson Jones of the United States Army Institute of Heraldry. The obverse features a figure of Liberty, standing victorious with her right foot resting on a war god's helmet and holding a broken sword in her right hand, with the hilt of a broken blade in her left. This imagery symbolizes the defeat of militarism. The reverse bears the inscriptions “WORLD WAR II” and “FREEDOM FROM FEAR AND WANT” and “FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND RELIGION,” referencing the Four Freedoms articulated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The ribbon's central stripe is red, flanked by rainbow patterns on each side, which transition to bands of white, red, and blue at the edges, representing the colors of the United States flag.

Criteria for award

Eligibility for the medal was broad, encompassing any member of the United States Armed Forces, including the United States Coast Guard and the United States Merchant Marine, who served on active duty between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946. This period covers from the Attack on Pearl Harbor through the official termination of hostilities as proclaimed by President Truman. No specific campaign or battle participation was required, making it a service-wide award. Personnel who received the medal for service in the Pacific Theater or the Mediterranean Theater were equally eligible.

Order of precedence and wearing

Within the order of precedence of United States military awards, the World War II Victory Medal is worn after campaign-specific medals like the Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal and the European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. It precedes the Army of Occupation Medal and the Medal for Humane Action. When only the ribbon is worn on a uniform, it is placed accordingly on the ribbon rack. Regulations from the United States Department of Defense and the individual service branches, such as the United States Army and the United States Navy, govern its proper display alongside other honors.

Variations and related awards

While the standard medal was issued to all services, minor variations exist in the attachment rings and planchets used by different manufacturers. A notable related award is the World War II Victory Medal (Philippines), issued by the Commonwealth of the Philippines. Within the U.S. system, it is part of a sequence of service medals including the preceding American Defense Service Medal and the contemporaneous theater campaign medals. Other Allied nations issued similar awards, such as the War Medal 1939–1945 from the United Kingdom and the France-issued Médaille commémorative de la guerre 1939–1945.

Category:Military awards and decorations of the United States Category:World War II awards and decorations of the United States