The medal is Bronze and 1 inches in diameter. On the obverse is a profile of General John J. Pershing, encircled by four stars indicating his insignia of grade as Commanding General of the Field Forces. In the lower left is the inscription "GENERAL JOHN J. PERSHING" and on the right is a laurel wreath superimposed by a sword with the dates "1918" and "1923" enclosed by the wreath. The reverse shows the American eagle perched with outspread wings standing on the Castle Ehrenbreitstein, encircled by the words "U.S. ARMY OF OCCUPATION OF GERMANY" and three stars at the bottom of the medal.

The ribbon is 1 3/8 inches in width consisting of the following stripes: 1/16 inch Ultramarine Blue 67118; 1/16 inch Scarlet 67111; 3/16 inch White 67101; inch Black 67138 (center); 3/16 inch White; 1/16 inch Scarlet; 1/16 inch Ultramarine Blue.

See Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards.

The following components are authorized:

The medal was established by Public Law 322, 77th Congress on 21 November 1941, and announced in War Department Bulletin 34, dated 10 December 1941, and War Department Circular 176 dated 6 June 1942.

The medal was designed by Mr. T. A. Rovelstad, Heraldic Division, Office of the Quartermaster General, in June 1942, and was approved by the Secretary of War on 8 July 1942.

The obverse of the medal includes the dates of the U.S. Occupation of Germany. The reverse depicts the eagle standing on the Castle of Ehrenbreitstein, which overlooks the Rhine in Coblenz, Germany. The three stars on the reverse symbolize the Third Army, which comprised the occupation forces of Germany.