Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal

BACK DEVICE(s)

Description:

1. Authorized by the Secretary of the Navy, August 15, 1936.
2. Awarded to Marines who have actually landed on foreign territory and engaged in operations against armed opposition, or operated under circumstances deemed to merit special recognition and for which service no campaign medal has been awarded, only personnel who were attached to one of the ships/units listed in the notice / instruction at some time during the respective periods shown, and who actually participated in the given operation, are eligible for the Navy Expeditionary Medal. This includes personnel attached to a squadron or unit embarked in a ship during the period for which that ship is listed as eligible. Members of rear echelons, transients, observers, and personnel assigned for short periods of temporarily assigned duty (TAD) or training duty are normally not eligible for the award. However, consideration will be given in those instances where the local commander certifies to a particular and significant contribution by an individual. Such certification should be submitted to the CNO/CMC via the fleet commander who exercised operational control in the area involved. CNO maintains a list of eligible ships/units.
3. NOTE: In the only case of a battle clasp being named for a specific World War II engagement, the Navy and Marine Corps issued a bar to those military personnel who participated in the heroic defense of Wake Island from the 7th to the 22nd December 1941. The clasp is worn on the suspension ribbon of the Expeditionary Medal and is represented by a silver letter "W" on the ribbon bar.

Background:

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