Navy and Marine Corps Medal
Display Recognition

Site Index

      • Example Display Recognition
      • Applicable Military Branches
      • Display Types
      • Issue Requirements
      • Issue Regulations
      • Who May Apply
      • Administration Processing and Delivery
      • How To Apply For This Display Recognition and/or Medal
      • Mailing Address
      • Questions?
      • Other Display Recognitions
      • Sea Service Websites
      • Example Display Recognition:
        Actual Size: 8 1/2 x 11
        Displayed: Air Force.
        Navy, Marine Corps



        Military Branches

        United States Navy, United States Marine Corps

        Who May Apply

        • Veteran recipients
        • Active Duty recipients
        • Family Members of recipients
        • Estate Inheritors

        Display Types

        You have four display types to choose from:
        Black & White (No Color)
        Heavy Bond Enclosure

        Heavy Bond Enclosure
        Colors: Regal, Black, Navy
        Trimmed in Appearance Gold

        Ready for Mantle or Shelf Display

        Issue Requirements
        You must submit one of the following:

      • An unaltered photocopy of your DD-214, OR WD AGO 53-55, OR other military issued document clearly displaying your Navy and Marine Corps Medal.
      • Contact The War Library if you do not have a DD-214, WD AGO, NAVPERS, NG or other Report of Separation: 1-562-422-4100 (Pacific Time Zone).
      • NOTICE

        This Display Recognition is available ONLY to authorized recipients who possess orders, or authorization form, or release documentation that confirms award eligibility. (See "Issue Requirements"). To obtain either a Display Medal or a Display Recognition for your authorized award you will be required to provide military-issued documentation authorizing your award. There are no exceptions.

        WARNING!
        You must NOT submit a military issued document or photocopy that:

        • has been altered in any way by you after
          the original's official issue
        • contains information or corrections or
          additions that you entered
        • lists awards or training you knowingly did not receive
        • contains highlighting, colorizing or other markings you entered

        Be advised that on request any knowingly fraudulent document sent by you will be released to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that may result in prosecution and/or fine/imprisonment.

        Email Questions, or Phone: 1-562-422-4100 (Pacific Time Zone)

        Personnel Branch
        Processing and Delivery

        Style Admin Shipping Total
        Full Color .PDF (Printable) $7.50 Emailed $7.50
        Published Document only (Full Color) $14.00 $10.77 USPS $24.77
        Published Document in Heavy Bond Enclosure (Full Color) $19.00 $10.77 USPS $29.77
        Full Color Printable Certificates
        on CD-Rom (minimum 20 Certificates)
        $7.50 $7.50 By Count

      • Total/Shipping fees, above, apply to 50 U.S. states
      • Contact The War Library for international shipping cost
      • How to Apply

        You may apply for your Display Recognition using a...

      • Check Debit card (* Shipped within 1 week)
      • Charge card (* Shipped within 1 week)
      • Personal, Business, Bank or Cashiers Check ( Shipped in 6 weeks)
      • Money Order (* Shipped in 6 weeks)
      • (* Upon reception of required documentation)

        Complete and MAIL this APPLICATION FORM.
        Don't forget to include an unaltered COPY of your DD-214, WD AGO 53-55 or other pre-arranged document(s).

        DISPLAY RECOGNITION and/or MEDAL APPLICATION FORM

        Mailing Address

        Records Chief (REC-AMW)
        The American War Library
        817 East Via Carmelitos Ste 319
        Long Beach CA 90805-7549

        Questions?

        Click here for answers to common questions

        Email: Navy and Marine Corps Medal Display Recognition Inquiry

        Telephone: 1-562-422-4100 (Pacific Time Zone)

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        Issue Regulations


        Navy and Marine Corps Medal

        Authorized on August 7, 1942, the day the Marines landed on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. This medal is awarded to anyone serving with the Navy or Marine Corps, including Reserves, who since December 6, 1941, shall distinguish themselves by heroism not involving actual conflict with the enemy. President John F. Kennedy was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism while serving as a junior Naval officer in the Pacific during World War II

        Establishing Authority

        TheThe Navy and Marine Corps Medal was established by Act of Congress (Public Law 702, 77th Congress), approved August 7, 1942.

        Effective Dates

        The Navy and Marine Corps Medal has been in effect since December 6, 1941, with a provision for converting earlier letters of commendation (which must be considered on a case-by-case basis).

        Criteria

        The Navy and Marine Corps Medal may be awarded to service members who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or Marine Corps, distinguish themselves by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy. For acts of lifesaving, or attempted lifesaving, it is required that the action be performed at the risk of one's own life.

        Order of Precedence

        The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is worn after the Distinguished Flying Cross and before the Bronze Star Medal.

        Devices

        Additional awards of the Navy and Marine Corps Medal are denoted by gold stars five-sixteenths of an inch in diameter.

        Designer

        The Navy and Marine Corps Medal was designed by Lieutenant Commander McClelland Barclay and sculpted by John R. Sinnock(of the Philadelphia Mint). The ribbon was designed by M.A. Crawford.

        First Recipient

        The first person to receive the Navy and Marine Corps Medal is not known.

        Description and Symbolism

        Obverse

        In the center of a bronze octagon one and a quarter inches wide, an eagle facing to its right, its upraised wings truncated by the edge of the medal. The eagle is perched upon a fouled anchor with the flukes beneath the eagle's right wing. Beneath the anchor is a globe. The inscription, HEROISM appears in raised letters at the base of the medal. The shape of the medal and the central theme of an eagle with displayed wings were suggested by the Soldier's Medal (the Army's counterpart decoration which was established sixteen years earlier). The anchor represents naval service, and the globe is from the Marine Corps insignia and represents that service. The inscription denotes the category of service for which the Navy and Marine Corps Medal is awarded.

        Reverse

        The reverse of the Navy and Marine Corps Medal is blank, that space being used for inscribing the recipient's name.

        Ribbon

        The ribbon to the Navy and Marine Corps Medal consists of three equal stripes of Navy blue, old gold, and scarlet, in that order. The blue and gold are the Navy's colors and the scarlet and gold are the colors of the Marine Corps.

        10 USC Sec. 6246 01/26/98

        TITLE 10 - ARMED FORCES

        Subtitle C - Navy and Marine Corps PART II - PERSONNEL

        CHAPTER 567 - DECORATIONS AND AWARDS TEXT

        Sec. 6246. Navy and Marine Corps Medal (a) The President may award a medal called the "Navy and Marine Corps Medal" of appropriate design with accompanying ribbon, together with a rosette or other device to be worn in place thereof - (1) to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or the Marine Corps, distinguishes himself by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy; or (2) to any person to whom the Secretary of the Navy, before August 7, 1942, awarded a letter of commendation for heroism, and who applies for that medal, regardless of the date of the act of heroism. (b) The authority in subsection (a) includes authority to award the medal to a member of the Ready Reserve who was not in a duty status defined in section 101(d) of this title when the member distinguished himself by heroism. SOURCE (Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 390; Pub. L. 105-85, div. A, title V, Sec. 574(b), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1758.)

        NOTES

        Historical and Revision Notes
        Revised section Source (U.S. Code) Source (Statutes at Large)

        6246 34 U.S.C. 356b. Feb. 4, 1919, ch. 14, Sec. 5; added Aug. 7, 1942, ch. 551, Sec. 1, 56 Stat. 744.

        The word "award" is substituted for the word "present" to cover the determination of the recipient as well as the actual presenting of the award. The words "but not in the name of Congress" are omitted since a decoration is presented in the name of Congress only if the law so directs. The words "including the Naval Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve" are omitted as covered by the definitions of the Navy and the Marine Corps. The last sentence, relating to additional pay, is omitted for the reason that, under the Career Compensation Act of 1949 (37 U.S.C. 231 et seq.), there is no additional pay authorized for any medal. The words "since December 6, 1941" are omitted as executed. The words "or herself" are omitted as covered by the rules of construction in 1 U.S.C. 1. AMENDMENTS 1997 - Pub. L. 105-85 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b). SECREF SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in section 6248 of this title.