Army and Navy Uniforms and Insignia: How to Know Rank, Corps and Service in the Military and Naval Forces of the United States and Foreign CountriesWilliams, Dion
History
Army and Navy Uniforms and Insignia: How to Know Rank, Corps and Service in the Military and Naval Forces of the United States and Foreign Countries
Williams, Dion
Armies -- Insignia; Military uniforms; Navies -- Insignia; United States. Army -- Insignia; United States. Navy -- Insignia
_Gold Life-Saving Medal._—This medal, established by Act of Congress,
June 20, 1874, is awarded to “those who by extreme and heroic daring
have endangered their lives in saving or endeavoring to save lives
from the perils of the sea.” The obverse has a design of a boat’s crew
rescuing a man from a stormy sea, surrounded by the inscription “United
States of America. Act of Congress, June 20, 1874.” The reverse bears a
scroll surmounted by an eagle and supported at the left by the figure
of Victory and at the right by an anchor and a ship’s sails, surrounded
by the inscription, “In testimony of heroic deeds in saving life from
the perils of the sea.” The medal is suspended from a clasp of gold
representing the head of an eagle and the clasp is suspended by a
scarlet silk ribbon.
[Illustration: Campaign Medals. U. S. Navy and Marine Corps
1. War with Spain, 1898 2. West Indies Campaign, 1898
3. Philippine Insurrection 4. China Relief Expedition, 1900]
[Illustration: 1. Gold Life-Saving Medal (obverse)
2. Gold Life-Saving Medal (reverse)
3. Silver Life-Saving Medal (obverse)
4. Silver Life-Saving Medal (reverse)]
_Silver Life-Saving Medal._—This medal, established by Act of Congress,
June 20, 1874, is awarded to “those who have endangered their lives
in saving lives from the perils of the sea or in succoring the
shipwrecked.” The obverse bears an allegorical design of a rescue from
the sea, surrounded by the inscription “United States of America. Act
of Congress, June 20, 1874.” The reverse has a wreath surrounded by the
words, “In testimony of heroic deeds in saving life from the perils of
the sea.” The medal is suspended from a silver clasp representing the
head of an eagle, the clasp being suspended by a light blue silk ribbon.
_Civil War Campaign Medal._—This is the first of the campaign medals
or badges. It is of bronze and was awarded to all officers and men who
participated with honor in the Civil War. The Army medal has on its
obverse side the head of Lincoln, nearly in profile, facing to the
right, surrounded by the inscription, “With malice toward none, with
charity for all,” and on the reverse a wreath of oak and olive branches
enclosing the words “The Civil War” and dates “1861-1865.” The Navy
medal bears on its obverse a scene from the battle of the _Monitor_ and
the _Merrimac_ and the inscription, “The Civil War, 1861-1865,” and
on the reverse an eagle perched on a foul anchor with the words “For
Service” below, the whole surrounded by a circle composed of a branch
of oak and a branch of olive leaves in the lower half and in the upper
half the words “United States Navy” or “United States Marine Corps,”
according to the service of the wearer. The ribbon is blue and gray.
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