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BACKGROUND

The American Defense Service Medal (ADSM) was established per Executive Order 8808, dated June 28, 1941, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and announced in War Department Bulletin 17. The criteria was announced in Department of the Army Circular 44 in Feb. 13, 1942.

 

CRITERIA

The American Defense Service Medal will be awarded to all persons who served on active duty at any time between Sept. 8, 1939 and Dec. 7, 1941, if the active duty order specified service for a 12-month period or longer. A Foreign Service Clasp is attached to the ribbon and medal if the same requirements are met and the service was performed outside the continental United States (CONUS).

 

MEDAL DESCRIPTION

The medal is 1.25 inches in diameter, bearing in front an armed figure symbolic of defense under the inscription American Defense. The ribbon is basically yellow, with blue, white, and red stripes right to left and left to right symmetrically near the edges.

 

AUTHORIZED DEVICES

Service Star - Worn in lieu of clasps when wearing the American Defense Service Medal as a ribbon on a military uniform

 

Concerning Naval Service Awards:

 

(1) The American Defense Service Medal will be awarded to all persons in the naval service who served on active duty at any time between 8 September 1939 and 7 December 1941, both dates inclusive. 

(2) Naval Reserve personnel on training duty under orders must have served at least 10 days in such duty. Person ordered to active duty for physical examination and subsequently disqualified are not entitled to this award. Reserve officers ordered to ships of the fleet for training duty (cruise) and officers serving on board ships for temporary additional duty from shore stations are not considered "regularly attached" and are not entitled to the fleet clasp. 

(3) A service clasp, "Fleet" or "Base," is authorized to be worn on the ribbon of the medal by each person who performed duties as set forth below. No person is entitled to more than one such clasp. 

(a) Fleet or sea. -- For service on the high seas while regularly attached to any vessel or aircraft squadron of the Atlantic, Pacific or Asiatic Fleet; to include vessels of the Naval Transportation Service and vessels operating directly under the Chief of Naval Operations. [Note: The "Sea" clasp was issued to Coast Guard personnel under similar qualifications as the Navy's "Fleet" clasp.] 

(b) Base. -- For service on shore at bases and naval stations outside the continental limits of the United States. (Duty in Alaska is considered outside the continental limits of the United States.) 

(4) A bronze star, three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter, will be worn on the service ribbon in lieu of any clasp authorized. 

(5) Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel, who served on the following vessels operating in actual or potential belligerent contact with the Axis forces in the Atlantic Ocean between the dates set below the ship in the table below are authorized to wear upon the American Defense Service Medal service ribbon, a bronze letter "A" in lieu of the bronze star. Such letter shall be one-fourth inch in height and shall be worn centered on the ribbon. When the "A" is worn, no star shall be worn upon the ribbon (Executive Order No. 8808 of 28 June 1941; Navy Department General Order No. 172 of 20 April 1942). 

 

Source: 1948, 1953 U.S. Navy Awards Manual

 

 

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I have always assumed that a battle star present on an American Defense medal meant the individual was at Pearl Harbor. Are there other criteria for getting a star?

Thanks!

Justin

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I have always assumed that a battle star present on an American Defense medal meant the individual was at Pearl Harbor. Are there other criteria for getting a star?

Thanks!

Justin

 

There's no official criteria for wearing a star on the medal ribbon itself. The only authorized devices are the four usual bars, plus an "A" device indicating Navy service in the Atlantic in 1941.

 

A star is worn on the ribbon bar indicating the award of a clasp. If a sailor qualified for both a bar and an "A", only the "A" is worn on the ribbon bar.

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Both the Army and the Navy authorized service claps to the medal. It denoted service

outside the Continental United States ( Not only Pearl Harbor). On the ribbon, the star was worn to show the award of a clasp.

 

regards,

Stephan

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collectsmedals

The bronze "A" device was authorized for wear by personnel serving on board specific ships in the Atlantic Fleet between June 22, 1941 and December 7, 1941. The device is worn on both the service and suspension ribbons.

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While I also agree that the star device was never authorized for wear on the American Defense Medal as Tom stated, there were some that did wear both star and clasp.

 

This is a legitimate medal grouping from a Marine who served from 1926 through 1958. For some reason, he thought he was entitled to wear both the "BASE" clasp and star device on his medal. Because he is long gone under, we'll never know why he did this, but I just wanted to let newer collectors know that original medals can be found with both devices.

Gary

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  • 7 months later...

All,

 

I would be interested in hearing speculation why American Defense Medals, and ribbons show up in so many WW1 uniform groupings.

 

I know my WW1 veteran Great-Grandfather served in the Florida Home Guard, which was Federalized during WW2. He did not have an American Defense Medal.

 

On the other hand, I just picked up a named 80th Division uniform that has a three place ribbon bar that includes the Mexican Border Service ribbon, WW1 Victory ribbon, and American Defense ribbon.

 

In my collecting I have run across about half a dozen other WW1 groups with this ribbon.

 

Any ideas as to what kind of service would qualify a WW1 veteran for the American Defense Service Medal?

 

Chris

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National Guard service , reserve or regular military service would have earned you the yellow ribbon during the qualification period.

 

Kurt

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National Guard service , reserve or regular military service would have earned you the yellow ribbon during the qualification period.

 

Kurt

Kurt,

 

So are you saying that if the guy stayed in the Guard or Reserve through 1939, even if the service wasn't "active" he would have earned the American Defense Medal? Or would he actually have had to "muster" and wear a uniform?

 

Chris

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It did require at least 12 months active duty status:

 

The American Defense Service Medal was awarded to personnel for active duty service from 8 September 1939 to 7 December 1941 for a period of twelve months or longer.

 

The American Defense Service Medal was established per Executive Order 8808, dated 28 June 1941, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and announced in War Department Bulletin 17, 1941. The criteria was announced in Department of the Army Circular 44, dated 13 February 1942.

 

 

 

Kurt

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Yes, but the qualifying service must have been "...under orders to active duty for a period of 12 months or longer..." Here is the full text from the covering Army Regulation (AR 600-8-22):

 

The American Defense Service Medal (ADSM) was established by Executive Order 8808, announced in War Department Bulletin 17, 1941. It is awarded for service between 8 September 1939 and 7 December 1941 under orders to active duty for a period of 12 months or longer.

 

The Navy's requirements are slightly different, but I'll let someone else take that one on.

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Quite a few Guardsmen who had WWI service were called up in 1940, usually they were transported as a unit to a camp....In Massachusetts it was Ft. Devens, after initial screening, some men were sent home as physically unfit due to previous illness, wounds from WWI or?

 

If they were discharged before December 7th 1941, they wold qualify for the American Defense medal and not the WWII Victory medal.

 

Bill

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Quite a few Guardsmen who had WWI service were called up in 1940, usually they were transported as a unit to a camp....In Massachusetts it was Ft. Devens, after initial screening, some men were sent home as physically unfit due to previous illness, wounds from WWI or?

 

If they were discharged before December 7th 1941, they wold qualify for the American Defense medal and not the WWII Victory medal.

 

Bill

You are correct.

 

As to the American Defense Service Medal, the key phrase in the Army directive is "...under orders to active duty for a period of 12 months or longer." This phrase is sometimes forgotten, misinterpreted, and/or omitted even in official references (such as this one from TIOH). Most National Guard units called up under Roosevelt's proclamation of limited national emergency of September 8, 1939, were ordered to active duty for one year or more, which fulfilled the minimum service requirement for the ADSM. Once inducted under this order, a National Guardsman qualified for the medal regardless of how long he actually served on active duty during the eligibility period---even one day.

 

The eligibility dates for the WWII Victory Medal are December 7, 1941, until December 31, 1946, which seems both illogical and inconsistent as the United States was more at war between September 8, 1939, and December 7, 1941, than it was between September 2, 1945, and December 31, 1946...but that's the way it turned out.

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.

 

I know my WW1 veteran Great-Grandfather served in the Florida Home Guard, which was Federalized during WW2. He did not have an American Defense Medal.

 

State Guards, Home Guards, State Defense Forces, or what ever they are called can not Federalized. They are always under the control of the state, that is their purpose, when the state National Guard is Federalized and gone the State Guard remains to fill the gap. They would guard state installations, help in natural disasters, and anything else the National Guard would do in peace time.

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...Once inducted under this order, a National Guardsman qualified for the medal regardless of how long he actually served on active duty during the eligibility period---even one day.

 

Wailuna,

 

I think this may be the answer. The American Defense Service ribbons I am discussing here have been in WW1 groups, not WW2 groups. I think you may be right, and a few "old-timers" were called up, weren't needed, either for service or health reasons, and went home--but still earned this ribbon.

 

Chris

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Wailuna,

a few "old-timers" were called up...

 

Keep in mind that someone could have served 1918 could have been only about 40 during the American Defense eligibility period so there could have been a lot of them called up.

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Keep in mind that someone could have served 1918 could have been only about 40 during the American Defense eligibility period so there could have been a lot of them called up.

Good point, Admin, and good historical perspective. Just for fun, I polled the NARA WWII Army Enlistment Records archive for individuals dob 1896 through 1905 who were enlisted, reenlisted or inducted 1938 through 1941. I found (before I stopped counting) a couple of thousand records in this range with the 7-digit series WWI serial number. I reckon most of these soldiers would have been Regular Army career men who were reenlisting at the end of their hitches. But some would have been WWI vets coming back in from civilian life for their next war.

 

The big surge of National Guard inductions commenced in 1940. I found only a few identifiable National Guardsmen with WWI serial numbers in this search. However, I just don't know if WWI vets inducted with their National Guard units for WWI kept their 7-digit WWI serial numbers or if they were assigned the new 8-digit series serial numbers that were alloted to inducted National Guard units (beginning with the numeral "2"). There may have been many more National Guard WWI vets than I could identify from the data contained in these records.

 

In any event, there obviously were plenty of WWI vets on duty in WWII and many of them would be entitled to wear both the WWI Victory Medal and the ADSM, as well as any other decorations and awards earned in their military service. And we haven't even addressed officers in this topic: Most senior officers in WWII were WWI vets, as well as some junior officers. In short, I don't think anyone should be surprised to see evidence of both the WWI Victory Medal and the ADSM on a uniform worn during or after WWII.

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Here is a news article announcing the first availability of ADSM and the WWII Victory Medal: It was not until August 1, 1947. It would be interesting to know how many veterans actually went to the trouble of applying for their medals. It is probably safe to assume that many of them never knew or didn't care about these medals once they were out of uniform and back home.

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Here is a news article announcing the first availability of ADSM and the WWII Victory Medal: It was not until August 1, 1947. It would be interesting to know how many veterans actually went to the trouble of applying for their medals.

 

Just to clarify--it needs to be pointed out that the ribbon was already manufactured, but that the actual medal was not.

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Just to clarify--it needs to be pointed out that the ribbon was already manufactured, but that the actual medal was not.

That is correct. The decision to conserve strategic metals was made early in the War and the manufacture of WWII service and campaign medals was put on hold for the duration. On the other hand, the corresponding service and campaign ribbon bars were rather more promptly designed and issued to the armed services, presumably to instill esprit de corps and boost morale. Consequently, none of these medals were available until 1947. The Army even recorded which Generals received the "first" of each its WWII campaign medals: Eisenhower received the first EAME Campaign Medal July 24, 1947 (and the first Army of Occupation Medal on April 2, 1947); Mac Arthur received the first Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal December 17, 1947; and Marshall received the first American Campaign Medal, also on December 17, 1947. The Army began issuing the ADSM and Victory Medal August 1, as reported in a prior post (but I've found no record of "first" recipients of these medals).

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...In short, I don't think anyone should be surprised to see evidence of both the WWI Victory Medal and the ADSM on a uniform worn during or after WWII.

 

Just to get back to the topic, the ADSMs I am talking about are in WW1 groupings. I suppose what could have happened was the ribbons were issued to the WW1 NG vets sometime after they were called up, they reported under competent orders, and thus got the ribbon?

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....I would be interested in hearing speculation why American Defense Medals, and ribbons show up in so many WW1 uniform groupings....I just picked up a named 80th Division uniform that has a three place ribbon bar that includes the Mexican Border Service ribbon, WW1 Victory ribbon, and American Defense ribbon....

Quite right. We have been having too much fun with this subject up until now. Let's see your 80th Division uniform (and others) with ADSM.

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One interesting thing to note about the issue of Campaign medals is related to posthumous awards. The Army only sent campaign medals to the NOK if they requested them. I always question a WWII Posthumous US Army PH group if it has campaign medals with it. Chances are..... someone added them unless the group came from the NOK directly or you have the documentation..

 

The USN and USMC however awarded them automatically to the NOK starting in 1947. Every personell file I have gone through to a KIA USN or USMC recipient, has the transmittal letters in them.

 

I cant tell you why the the Army didnt follow the same process as the USN and USMC, but it probably had to do with the manpower and record keeping it would have taken to process the automatic awards.

 

Kurt

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I would be interested in hearing speculation why American Defense Medals, and ribbons show up in so many WW1 uniform groupings....I just picked up a named 80th Division uniform that has a three place ribbon bar that includes the Mexican Border Service ribbon, WW1 Victory ribbon, and American Defense ribbon....Any ideas as to what kind of service would qualify a WW1 veteran for the American Defense Service Medal?

Oops. I think I have been paddling my board up the wrong wave.

 

I have reread your posts and seen Dave's WWI uniform, and, if I am not mistaken, I now see that your original question is about the validity of the ADSM on a WWI uniform alongside WWI and earlier vintage ribbons. Sorry to admit my carelessness but I initially misread your question. I have been rambling on in my posts about the validity of the ADSM and WWI and earlier vintage ribbons on a WWII uniform without any other WWII service or campaign ribbons.

 

We still have not seen your 80th Division uniform with the WWI Victory Medal and ADSM attached, but if it is a WWI era Doughboy uniform, I can say right now that the combination does not compute (and the same goes for Dave's 26th Division uniform). The most charitable explanation I would offer to legitimatize such a uniform configuration is this: It is 1940. A WWI vet enlists but is found to be unfit for active service within a few days of his enlistment. He is immediately discharged and sent home -- without contemporary uniforms. A couple of years later he reads about the ADSM. He is eligible. He pins one on his WWI uniform, the one he wears to parade with the VFW on Armistice Day and the Fourth of July. And they all lived happily ever after.

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Oops. I think I have been paddling my board up the wrong wave.

 

I have reread your posts and seen Dave's WWI uniform, and, if I am not mistaken, I now see that your original question is about the validity of the ADSM on a WWI uniform alongside WWI and earlier vintage ribbons. Sorry to admit my carelessness but I initially misread your question. I have been rambling on in my posts about the validity of the ADSM and WWI and earlier vintage ribbons on a WWII uniform without any other WWII service or campaign ribbons.

 

We still have not seen your 80th Division uniform with the WWI Victory Medal and ADSM attached, but if it is a WWI era Doughboy uniform, I can say right now that the combination does not compute (and the same goes for Dave's 26th Division uniform). The most charitable explanation I would offer to legitimatize such a uniform configuration is this: It is 1940. A WWI vet enlists but is found to be unfit for active service within a few days of his enlistment. He is immediately discharged and sent home -- without contemporary uniforms. A couple of years later he reads about the ADSM. He is eligible. He pins one on his WWI uniform, the one he wears to parade with the VFW on Armistice Day and the Fourth of July. And they all lived happily ever after.

 

Wailuna,

 

No worries mate!

 

My uniform is a standard WW1, private purchase, 80th Division doughboy's uniform--completely unremarkable except for the ribbons. One of several hundred WW1 uniforms I have. Pinned on the chest is a lovely three place ribbon bar (sterling clutch backs--early type without dimples) with a National Guard Mexican Border Service Ribbon, WW1 Victory with two stars, and the ADSM.

 

I didn't really think it unusual as I have seen several WW1 groupings with various combinations of ribbons that include the ADSM.

 

I also think you hit the nail on the head. The piece of the puzzle I was missing was the 'called up, but then dismissed but still eligible for the ribbon' part. I could easily see that down the road, the vet pins it on, and continues to wear the old threads in the Armistice Day parades. That is the only explanation I can figure. But thought it was interesting.

 

Cheers!

 

Chris

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