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Army of Occupation Medal


Description

Army

The Bronze medal is 1 inches in width. On the obverse, the Remagen Bridge abutments below the words "ARMY OF OCCUPATION". On the reverse, Fujiyama with a low hanging cloud over two Japanese junks above a wave scroll and the date "1945". A Bronze clasp 1/8 inch wide and 1 inches in length with the word "GERMANY" or "JAPAN" is worn on the suspension ribbon to indicate service in Europe or the Far East.

Navy

On the obverse is Neptune mounted on a composite creature of a charging horse and a sea serpent with a trident grasped in right hand above wave scrolls. Around the bottom of the medal are the words "OCCUPATION SERVICE". The reverse is the same as the China Service Medal and is an eagle perched on the shank of a horizontal anchor with a branch of laurel entwined around the anchor. On the left is the word "FOR" and to the right is the word "SERVICE" and around the top is the inscription "UNITED STATES NAVY".

Marine Corps

The medal for the Marine Corps is the same as the Navy, except the inscription around the top of the reverse is "UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS".


Ribbon

The ribbon is the same for both medals and is 1 3/8 inches wide and consists of the following stripes: 3/16 inch White 67101; inch Black 67138; inch Scarlet 67111; and 3/16 inch White.


Criteria

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


Components

The following are authorized components:

a. Army Medal (regular size): MIL-DTL-3943/246. Medal set with full size medal and ribbon bar. NSN 8455-00-269-5763.

b. Army Medal (miniature): MIL-DTL-3943/246. Available commercially.

c. Ribbon: MIL-DTL-11589/112. NSN 8455-00-265-4910. Available commercially.

d. Foreign Service Clasp: MIL-DTL-41819/9: Germany - NSN 8455-00-249-0171; Japan - NSN 8455-00-249-0172.

e. Berlin Airlift Device: MIL-DTL-41819/13. Regular and miniature sizes. NSN 8455-00-261-4504.


Background

The Army Occupation Medal was established by War Department Circular 102, dated 5 April 1946.

The medal was designed by Mr. Thomas Hudson Jones and the first medal was presented to General Eisenhower on 2 April 1947. The ribbon design uses the color black to represent Germany and the color red to represent Japan.

On 4 February 1948, the Secretary of the Navy requested the Heraldic Section, Department of the Army, design a suitable Navy Occupation Service Medal. This medal was designed by Mr. Thomas Hudson Jones on 30 March 1948.

The service clasp is worn on the suspension ribbon to indicate area of occupation. The Berlin Airlift Device is a miniature of a C-54 type aircraft and is worn on the suspension ribbon and service ribbon to indicate 90 days consecutive service between 26 June 1948 and 30 September 1949.






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