Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal

Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
Awarded by United States Marine Corps
Type	Medal
Awarded for	"...awarded to Marine Corps personnel who land on foreign territory, engage in operations against armed opposition, or who operate under circumstances deemed to merit special recognition and for which no campaign medal has been awarded."
Status	Currently Awarded
Statistics
Established	8 May 1919
Precedence
Next (higher)	Marine Corps Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal Navy – Fleet Marine Force Ribbon
Equivalent	Navy – Navy Expeditionary Medal
Next (lower)	China Service Medal
Related	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Ribbon

The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal is a decoration of the United States Marine Corps which was first created on 8 May 1919. Originally known as the Marine Corps Expeditionary Ribbon, a full-sized medal was authorized in July 1921 by Presidential Order of Warren G. Harding. The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal is therefore one of the oldest decorations of the United States military which is still issued to active duty personnel.^[1]

To be awarded the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, personnel must have engaged in a landing on foreign territory, participated in combat operations against an opposing force, or must have participated in a designated operation for which no other service medal is authorized. After 1961, some commands permitted eligible personnel to choose between the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, or the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, depending on the nature of the operation in question.

Subsequent awards of the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal were originally denoted by award numerals. After 1921, multiple awards were denoted by service stars. The Wake Island Device is authorized for any personnel who were awarded the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal as part of the defense of Wake Island during the opening days of the Second World War.

The United States Navy equivalent of the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal is known as the Navy Expeditionary Medal.

See also

Awards and decorations of the United States military

References

1. ^ Service Medals and Campaign Credit of the United States Navy, Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal