Merchant Marine Korean Service Medal

BACK DEVICE(s) none

Description:

1. Authorized by Public Law 100-324 in 1988.
2. Established on July 24, 1956
3. This was created to honor Merchant Marine mariners who carried out service onboard merchant ships running American colors in Korean waters between the dates of June 30, 1950 and September 30, 1953.

Background:

1. The Medal
   Obverse
   The obverse displays torii gate and taeguk. The torii gate is to represent the crossing between two worlds, the far east and America.  The taeguk has the meaning of "supreme ultimate". The stylized water below the gate is representative of the sea.  The ship’s chain alludes to maritime service.  Below the torii gate and the taeguk appear the words "KOREAN SERVICE"
   Reverse
   The reverse bears the words "UNITED STATES" in an arc around the top and the words "MERCHANT MARINE" in a counter arc across the bottom. In the center is the Mariner's Shield and anchor, from the United States Maritime Service Seal.
   Ribbon
   The ribbon and drape are one and three-eighths inches wide with stripes as follows white, interlaced white and orange, interlaced orange and scarlet, scarlet, white, interlaced Forget-Me-Not (light blue) and white, interlaced ultramarine blue and Brittany Blue, Ultramarine Blue, interlaced ultramarine blue and Brittany Blue, interlaced Forget-Me-Not (light blue) and white, white, scarlet, interlaced orange and scarlet, interlaced white and orange, white.

2. Information from
   Medal, Korean Service, U.S. Merchant Marine MIL-DTL-3943/220C 11 April 2022
   Ribbon, Korean Service, U.S. Merchant Marine MIL-DTL-11589/364F 07 January 2020