The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the second and third highest non-combat medal for bravery awarded by the United States Department of the Navy to the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. The decoration was established by an act of Congress on August 7, 1942.
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. Typically, it is awarded for actions involving the risk of one's own life.
During the mid-20th century, the Navy and Marine Corps Medal has been awarded instead of the Silver or Gold Lifesaving Medal, for sea rescues involving risk of life. This is due primarily to the creation of a variety of additional military decorations that are often considered more prestigious than the Lifesaving Medal.
The Navy and Marine Corps Medal was first bestowed during World War II. Perhaps the most famous recipient was President John F. Kennedy who was awarded the medal as Commanding Officer of a World War II Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109.
The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is generally considered the equivalent of the U.S. Army′s Soldier's Medal, the U.S. Air Force′s Airman's Medal, and the Coast Guard Medal. Additional awards of the medal are denoted by gold 5/16 inch stars.
The recipients of the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and the text of the citations issued to each recipient, to the extent of available records, are listed in a Naval database.
Read more about Navy And Marine Corps Medal: Notable Recipients
Famous quotes containing the words navy, marine and/or corps:
“I wish to reiterate all the reasons which [my predecessor] has presented in favor of the policy of maintaining a strong navy as the best conservator of our peace with other nations and the best means of securing respect for the assertion of our rights of the defense of our interests, and the exercise of our influence in international matters.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
“People run away from the name subsidy. It is a subsidy. I am not afraid to call it so. It is paid for the purpose of giving a merchant marine to the whole country so that the trade of the whole country will be benefitted thereby, and the men running the ships will of course make a reasonable profit.... Unless we have a merchant marine, our navy if called upon for offensive or defensive work is going to be most defective.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
“Ce corps qui s’appelait et qui s’appelle encore le saint empire romain n’était en aucune manière ni saint, ni romain, ni empire. This agglomeration which called itself and still calls itself the Holy Roman Empire was in no way holy, nor Roman, nor an empire.”
—Voltaire [François Marie Arouet] (1694–1778)