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Citations / Awards
The Sixth Marine Division received the Presidential
Unit Citation, the highest division award possible. Also received
(for their battles in Guam) the Navy Unit Commendation
ribbon.
Medals marked with a "*" courtesy of www.gruntsmilitary.com.
Many thanks for allowing usage of their graphics.
A military decoration is not something hung on a Christmas tree or squirted
on a birthday cake. It is an acknowledgement of a heroic act in a dangerous
situation. It might have been Napoleon who said that men will risk their
lives for a scrap of colored cloth. Whoever said that was wrong. Men don't
fight with the expectation of receiving a medal. A man will perform in
dangerous situations out of a sense of duty or because he cares what his
comrades might think of him if he acts otherwise, the result of being
in a military unit with high esprit de corps. He might fight merely for
self preservation.
There is no bravery unless fear is present. Fearlessness is not bravery.
Bravery is the overcoming of fear while attempting to do what is necessary
or expected. Decorations are awarded to those men who perform at a level
above and beyond that which is expected.
A decoration is usually in the form of a medal, but can also be a ribbon
bar or a badge. A medal is a medallion suspended by a ribbon that has
a distinctive pattern of colors, usually vertical stripes. A ribbon bar
can be used to represent a medal, but can also be a stand alone award.
Badges are medallions without cloth. They can be such that the badge itself
fastens directly to the uniform, or the medallion can hang from a metal
suspension bar fastened to the uniform.
Every medal is not a decoration. Men who served with the Sixth Marine
Division are entitled, for example, to the Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal
and the World War Two Victory medal. These are service awards, "been
there" medals and not decorations. The decorations for valor that
a Sixth Division Marine or Corpsman could be awarded ranged from the Medal
of Honor down to the Navy Letter of Commendation. The lowest decoration
in 1945 was the Purple Heart medal, which was usually but not always,
awarded to men who were wounded in action.
All medals have ribbon bars that can be worn in lieu of the medals. An
example of a ribbon bar that stands alone as an award is the Presidential
Unit Citation. That ribbon can be worn by every man who served in the
Sixth Marine Division on Okinawa. The requirements for that award are
that the unit as a whole performed at a level of valor which would have
merited an award of the Navy Cross medal to an individual.
Examples of badges are the marksmanship awards that every Marine recruit
has had the opportunity to qualify for. The service rifles have changed
over the years, but the highest award of an Expert Rifleman badge is usually
earned by about 15 percent of the recruits.
One of the officers in the Sixth Marine Division, Lt. Col. Larson, was
entitled to wear both the Distinguished Marksman badge and the Distinguished
Pistol Shot badge. These are gold badges, awarded for exceptional skill
with the service rifle or the service pistol in special shooting competitions.
Since 1900 up to the present day, Distinguished Rifle and Distinguished
Pistol badges have each been earned by several thousand Marines. A smaller
number of Marines have been, like Col. Larson, awarded both badges.
Since World War Two the U. S. Army has awarded two different kinds of
badges for combat service. These are the Combat Infantryman's Badge and
the Combat Medic's Badge, awarded to soldiers who have served in combat
in front line infantry companies. A badge recently adopted by the Army
is awarded to soldiers who are not assigned to front line units, but whose
duties have put them in harm's way.
In the 1960s the Navy created an award similar to the Combat Infantryman's
Badge, in the form of a ribbon bar only award, called the Combat Action
Ribbon. Marines and sailors who served in front line units in combat were
eligible for this award, which was made retroactive to the year 1961.
In the 1990s it was decided that sailors and Marines had actually served
in combat prior to 1961. The Award of the Combat Action Ribbon was made
retroactive to the year 1941. Many Marines and Corpsmen who served in
the Sixth Marine Division on Okinawa are eligible for this award.
The HISTORY OF THE SIXTH MARINE DIVISION, the book with a green cover
that was published in 1948, lists about 700 awards for valor, from the
Medal of Honor on down, to men of the Sixth Marine Division for the battle
of Okinawa. Additional awards were made after the information was gathered
for the book, but fewer than 800 decorations for bravery were awarded.
That comparatively low number was for an entire Marine division in a battle
where the fighting was as fierce as any in World War Two.
Sixth Marine Division men received more than their share of one decoration
and that was the Purple Heart medal. Almost 7000 Marines and Corpsmen
received that medal. In the Sixth Marine Division the Purple Heart medal
was awarded only for wounds received in action from enemy fire. A high
school and college classmate of mine, a member of a rifle company in the
Army's 96th Infantry Division and a stalwart warrior, received his second
Purple Heart medal for a sprained ankle, incurred while successfully eluding
bullets fired from a Japanese Nambu machine gun.
Not all wounds merited the Purple Heart. To be awarded a Purple Heart
medal a wounded Marine had to spend at least one night in either an aid
station or a hospital and be treated by a medical officer. Men whose wounds
were treated by a corpsman but not by a medical officer did not qualify
for the medal. One man in G Company of the 29th Marines was wounded six
times, but was awarded only two Purple Heart medals. Five Marines in G
Company who returned from the hospital after being wounded were later
killed in action. Eight men were wounded severely enough to merit a Purple
Heart, spent time in the Sixth Medical Battalion Hospital on Okinawa,
returned to duty and were wounded again. Another man returned from the
hospital twice after being wounded, but was evacuated after being wounded
for a third time. G Company had 63 Marines killed in action and 224 who
received Purple Heart medals for being wounded in action. Every rifle
company in the Sixth Marine Division had similar numbers.
One reason so few decorations for valor were awarded was due to the strict
requirements of the Marine Corps for awarding them. A Marine's actions
had to stand out above those of the rest of his comrades, difficult to
do in outstanding units. Another reason was the result of the high number
of casualties. Acts of valor must have had witnesses who were available
to recommend decorations -- men still with their units after the battle
was over who had survived without being killed or evacuated from the island
after being wounded.
An example of this is what happened to Corporal James Day. In May of
1945 Day occupied a shell hole located close to a hill which was later
known as Sugar Loaf. The men with Day with one exception were all wounded
or killed. During his time in the shell hole, Day was mainly alone, the
one man who was with him part of the time laid in the bottom of the hole,
violently ill with dengue fever. That man was killed later in the battle.
The location of the hole was such that it could not be fired on directly
from Sugar Loaf. The Japanese had to make frontal assaults on the hole.
Even after being wounded, Corporal Day fought off attacks for several
days and nights. When he was finally relieved, the bodies of 70 dead Japanese
were counted in the proximity of the hole.
Day's battalion commander was killed. His company commander was wounded
and evacuated from the island. No action was taken to decorate Corporal
Day for his heroic actions during those days and nights in the shell hole.
After the death of Day's former company commander on Okinawa, the son
of the company commander found some documents among his father's effects
that described Day's heroism. Upon learning that Day had never been decorated
for those actions, the son began a campaign to get Day a medal. Ten men
who had observed various parts of Day's heroism had made statements, copies
of which were found with their service records. Finally, in January of
1998, almost 53 years later, Day, now a retired Marine major general,
received our nation's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, from
the president of the United States. General Day died less than a year
later.
The battle for the Island of Okinawa was a long one, lasting for 82 days.
Acts of heroism usually were not recorded immediately after they occurred
and many of those acts were forgotten. There was never a system in place
that sought out individuals who had observed acts of heroism.
A man leaving a relatively safe location to advance toward a place where
a determined enemy might be waiting to attempt to kill him was being brave
in the extreme. But medals were not awarded for that kind of bravery.
And so it was that in a battle with such hard fighting, so few decorations
for valor were awarded to members of the Sixth Marine Division.
James S. White, G-3-29
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MEDAL OF HONOR (NAVY):
Awarded to officers and enlisted men of the Navy and Marine Corps
who whall have distinguished himself by gallantry and intrepidity
at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action
involving actual conflict with the enemy.
View list of MOH winners of 6th Marine Division.
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NAVY CROSS:
Awarded to officers and enlisted men of the Navy and Marine Corps
who distinguish themselves by extraordinary heroism in connection
with military operations against an armed enemy.
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DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL:
Awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with
the U.S. Marine Corps, shall have distinguished himself by extraordinary
heroism in connection with military operations agains an armed enemy.
Awarded for combat only.
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SILVER STAR MEDAL:
Awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with
the U.S. Marine Corps, had distinguished himself by gallantry in
action not warranting the award of the medal of honor or distinguished
cross, and to any person who while serving in any capacity with
the U.S. Marine Corpts, received a citation for gallantry in action
published in orders issued at the headquarters of a force commanded
by a general officer. Awarded for combat action only.
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LEGION OF MERIT:
Awarded to officers and enlisted men of the armed forces of the
United States and friendly foreign nations who since the presidential
proclamation of national emergency for World War II, 8 Setp. 1939,
whall have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious
conduct in the performance of outstanding services. Awarded for
combat and non-combat action.
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DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS:
(Identical for all branches of the Service) The DFC was the first
American Military personal decoration authorized in identical design
and ribbon for issuance by all branched of the military service.
Awarded to Officers and enlisted men of the Armed Forces of the
United States who have distinguished themselves, subsequent to 11
Nov 1918, by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating
in an aerial flight.
Awarded for combat and non-combat action.
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NAVY AND MARINE CORPS MEDAL:
Awarded to any person, who, wile serving in the capacity with he
United States Navy or Marine Corps, including Reserves, shall have,
since 6 Dec 1941, distinguished himself of herself by heroism not
involving actual conflict with an enemy, or to any person to whom
the Secretary of the Navy has heretofore awarded a Letter of Commendation
for heroism not involving Combat, regardless of date of such an
act of heroism, who makes application for such medal. Awarded Non
Combat Action only.
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL:
Awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with
(identical for all branches of the service) the U.S. Marine Corps
has distinguished himself by gallantry in action not warranting
the Medal of Honor or Distinguished Service Cross, and to any person
who, while serving in any capacity with the U.S. Marine Corps received
a citation for gallantry in action published in orders issued at
the headquarters of a force commanded by a general officer.
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AIR MEDAL:
(Identical for all branches of the Service) Awarded to any person
who while serving with the Armed Forces of the United States, in
any capacity, subsequent to 8 Sep 1939, distinguished himself by
meritorious achievement while participating in an aerial flight.
Awarded to combat and non-combat action.
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PURPLE HEART:
(Identical for all branches of the service). Awarded to any person
wounded in action against an enemy of the United States, or as a
result of act of such enemy, if wound necessitated treatment by
a Medical Officer. Also awarded posthumously to the next of kin
of service personnel killed in action or who die as a result of
wounds received in action against an enemy of the United States,
or as a result of an act of such enemy after 5 April 1917.
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NAVY COMMENDATION RIBBON:
Awarded to Officers and enlisted men of the Navy, Marine Corps
and Coast Guard who received an individual Letter of Commendation
signed by the Secretary of Navy, Commander in Chief, United States
Fleet, Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, Commander in Chief, Atlantic
Fleet or Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, for an
act of heroism or service per-formed between 6 Dec 1941 and 11 Jan
19 1944 are automatic-ally authorized to wer the Commendation Ribbon
with Metal Pendant. All personnnel of the above services who subsequently
receive such a commendation signed by the Secretary of the Navy
or authorities so designated by the Secretary of the Navy during
War or Emergency are authorized to wear the Commendation Ribbon
with Metal Pendant provided such letter of commendation contains
in the text such authorization, signify-ing the desire of the issuing
officer to accord this privilege. A second and each succeeding award
shall be presented by the wearing of a 3/16 inch bronze star on
the ribbon an suspension ribbon of the Pendant. Combat or Noncombat.
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PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION:
Awarded to any ship, aircraft or Naval unit or any Marine Corps
Aircraft, detachment or higher unit by the Secretary of the Navy
in the name of the President for outstanding performance in action
against an enemy of the United States on or after 16 Oct 1941. Such
service must be comparable to that for which a Navy Cross is awarded
to an individual.
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NAVY UNIT COMMENTATION:
Awarded to any ship, aircraft, detachment or other unit in the
Naval service of the United States which has, subsequent to 6 Dec
1941, distinguished itself by outstanding heroism in action against
the enemy but not sufficiently to justify award of the Presidential
Unit Citation; or to be awarded to any similar unit which has distinguished
iself by extremely meritorious service not involving combat but
in support of military operations and such as to render the unit
outstanding compared to similar units rendering similar service.
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ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER RIBBON:
Awarded to Officers and enlisted men of the Armed Forces of the
United States who, during the period 7 DEC 1941 and 2 Mar 1946,
shall have served on active duty in the prescribed Asiatic-Pacific
area under any one of certain specified conditions and/or aboard
certain snips of the Army or Navy. A small bronze star is authorized
to be attached to the ribbon for each battle which the wearer has
participated therein.
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CHINA SERVICE MEDAL:
Awarded to Officers and enlisted men of the Armed Forces of the
United States who participated in operations in China between 2
Sep 1945 and 1 April 1957.
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CHINESE GOVERNMENT MEDAL WWII:
Awarded by the Chinese Gov't to all members of the Armed Forces
of the Allied Forces who participated in the war with Japan and
were involved in operations on the mainland of China, the islands,
and or contiguous ocean areas during WWII and or the occupation
of China and the surrender of enemy forces after World War II.
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NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE MEDAL:
Japan between 3 September 1945 and 27 April 1952 in the four main
islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu; the surrounding
smaller islands of the Japanese homeland; the Ryukyu Islands; and
the Bonin-Volcano Islands. Service between 3 September 1945 and
2 March 1946 will counted only if the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
was awarded for service prior to 3 September 1945.
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VICTORY MEDAL WWII:
Awarded to all members of the Armed Forces of the United States
or of the Government of the Philippine Islands who served on active
duty in World War II at any time between 7 DEC 1941 and 31 DEC 1946
both dates inclusive.
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AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL:
Awarded to personnel for service within the American Theater between
7 December 1941 and 2 March 1946 under any of the following conditions:
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On permanent assignment outside the continental limits of the
United States
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Permanently assigned as a member of a crew of a vessel sailing
ocean waters for a period of 30 days of 60 nonconsecutive days.
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Permanently assigned as a member of an operating crew of an
airplane actually making regular and frequenet flights over
ocean waters for a period of 30 days.
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Outside the continental limits of the United States in a passenger
status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days of 60 days
not consecutive.
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In active combat against the enemy and was awarded a combat
decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general
of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that he actually
participated in combat.
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Winting the continental limits of the United States for an
aggregate period of one year.
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GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL:
Awarded to Enlisted men of the Marine Corps, regular or reserve,
for obedience, sobriety, military efficiency, neatness, bearing
and intelligence. Through the years numerous revisions have been
made in the regulations governing the award, the following information
being the last revision to become effective. For completion of 3
years of continuous active service terminating on or after 10 DEC
1945, including service in temporary warrant or commissioned status.
A good conduct award shall be authorized for any 3 years' enlisted
service consisting of a combination of periods of active service,
broken or unbroken, in a war, national emergency or a period of
armed hostilities, in which the United States is engaged, notwithstanding
the time elapsing between tours of such service, provided the individual
is otherwise qualified, and provide further that when the first
period of such service terminated prior to 10 DEC 1945, a total
of four years enlisted service shall be required for such award.
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COMBAT ACTION RIBBON:
The Combat Action Ribbon was established on February 17, 1969 by
Secretary of the Navy John H. Chafee and announced by SECNA VNOTE
1650 of February 17, 1969. the Annual Defence Authorization Bill
(Public Law 106-65) signed into law by President Clinton on October
5, 1999, authorized the Secretary of the Navy to award the Combat
Action Ribbon to members of the Navy or marine Corps who participated
in combat during any period after December 6, 1941. It originally
took effect on March 1, 1961; hoewever, with the passage of Public
Law 106-65 (cited above), award of the Combat Action Ribbon may
now be made retroactive to December 7, 1941. It is a personal decoration
awarded to members of the Navy, marine Corps, and Coast Guard (when
operating under the control of the Navy) in the grade of captain
(or colonel in the Marine Corps) and below who have actively participated
in ground or surface combat.
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