World War II Database

Contributor: David Stubblebine

United States Navy

NAVPERS 15,790(Rev. 1953)

Part I. Regulations (G. O. No. 253).
Part II. Instructions for use of Code Numbers assigned operations and engagements.
Part III. List of Authorized Operations and Engagements.

1. These medals are authorized to commemorate the service performed by personnel of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard who served during the periods and in the areas designated below under the appropriate medals and whose services fulfill the prescribed requirements.
2. Executive Order No. 9265 which provides that the subject campaign medals be established is quoted:
   
   Executive Order No. 9265

   By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States and as Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, it is hereby ordered that the American, European-African-Middle Eastern, and Asiatic-Pacific campaign medals, including suitable appurtenances, be established, and that the said medals may be awarded, under such regulations as the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy may severally prescribe to members of the land and naval forces of the United States, including the Women's Reserve of the United States Naval Reserve, and to members of the Women's Auxiliary Corps who, during any period between December 7, 1941, inclusive, and a date six months subsequent to the termination of the present war, shall have served outside the continental limits of the United States in any of the respective areas as indicated by the name of the medals, such areas to be more precisely defined in the regulations hereby authorized.

   For purposes of this order, the territory of Alaska shall be considered as outside the continental limits of the United States.

   Franklin D. Roosevelt
   The White House,
   November 6, 1942.

   Executive Order

   Amending Executive Order No. 9265 of November 6, 1942, establishing the American, European-African-Middle Eastern, and Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medals.

   By virtue of the authority vested in me a President of the United States and as Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:

   1. The European-African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal shall not be awarded for any service rendered subsequent to November 8, 1945.
   2. The American Campaign Medal and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal shall not be awarded for any service rendered subsequent to March 2, 1946.
   3. Effective October 12, 1945, members and former members of the land and naval forces of the United States, including the Women's Reserve of the United States Naval Reserve, and former members of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, who served in the continental United States for an aggregate period of one year between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, inclusive, may be awarded the American Campaign Medal under such regulations as the Secretary of War and Secretary of the Navy may severally prescribe.
   4. Executive Order No. 9625 of November 6, 1942, establishing the American, European-African-Middle Eastern and Asiatic-Pacific campaign medals, is amended accordingly.

   Harry S. Truman
   The White House,
   March 15, 1946.

3. The geographical definitions of the respective areas are defined as follows:
   

   American Area
   East boundary.--From the North Pole, south along the 75th meridian west longitude to the 77th parallel north latitude, thence southeast through Davis Strait to the intersection of the 40th parallel north latitude and the 35th meridian west longitude, thence south along that meridian to the 10th parallel north latitude, thence southeast to the intersection of the equator and the 20th meridian west longitude, thence along the 20th meridian west longitude to the South Pole. West boundary--From the North Pole, south along the 141st meridian west longitude to the east boundary of Alaska, thence south and southeast along the Alaskan boundary to the Pacific Ocean, thence south along the 130th meridian to its intersection with the 30th parallel north latitude, thence southeast to the intersection of the equator and the 100th meridian west longitude, thence south along the 100th meridian west longitude to the South Pole.

   European-African-Middle Eastern Area
   East boundary.--From the North Pole, south along the 60th meridian east longitude to its intersection with the e astern border of Iran, thence south along that border to the Gulf of Oman and the intersection of the 60th meridian east longitude, thence south along the 60th meridian east longitude to the South Pole. West boundary--Coincident with the east boundary of the American Area.

   Asiatic-Pacific Area
   East boundary.--Coincident with the west boundary of the American Area. West boundary--Coincident with the east boundary of the European-African-Middle Eastern Area.

4. Appropriate area campaign medals as defined above are authorized for all personnel of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard who, during the period from 7 December 1941 to the terminal date designated above for each medal, shall have served in the prescribed area under any one of the following conditions:
   1. Sea Duty.--Attached to and serving on board a vessel of the Navy, or Coast Guard, or upon other vessel to which regularly assigned for duty, in the designated area, or as a member of an organization being transported for duty in an area aboard such vessels, for a period of thirty (30) days. This service need not be continuous nor in the same vessel.
   2. Shore Duty.--Attached to and regularly serving on shore in a designated area for a period of thirty (30) days except in the continental United States where the requirement is one (1) year. Such service need not be continuous nor in the same locality but must be within the designated area.
   3. Any combination of (a) and 9b) above that will aggregate the prescribed time in a designated area.
   4. Patrols.--Service in patrol vessels or aircraft operating in or above ocean waters, provided the individual has been attached to such units for a period of thirty (30) days and has performed regularly required patrols for an accumulated period of thirty (30) days. This provision is applicable even though the base from which such vessels or aircraft operate is within the continental limits of the United States.
   5. Combat.--In all cases wherein a vessel, aircraft, or other unit engages in combat with, attacks, or is attacked by enemy forces, all personnel serving in the vessel, aircraft, or other unit shall immediately become eligible for the appropriate campaign medal without reference to the thirty (30) day provision above. however, the certain presence of enemy forces, especially in the case of an enemy submarine, shall be established before this provision shall apply.
   6. Hazardous Duty.--The engagement in any service in a designated area which, in the opinion of the appropriate Fleet or Frontier Commander or Commandant, United States Marine Corps, is equally as hazardous as combat duty shall render the individuals concerned immediately eligible for the appropriate area medal without reference to any time limitation. This provision shall apply to such operations as mine recovery and disposal, bomb disposal, etc., or equally hazardous operations.
   7. Passengers.--No individual en route in a purely passenger status, i.e., observer, visitor, courier or escort, shall become eligible for any area campaign medal unless he or the means of conveyance on which he is traveling is attacked by or engages in combat with the enemy. In the latter case, he shall immediately become eligible for the appropriate medal upon the occasion of the attack or combat. in this provision passage as a patient in a hospital ship shall be considered as attached to the ship and not in a passenger status.
   8. On and after 1 July 1945, no individual engaged exclusively on temporary or temporary additional duty shall become eligible for an area campaign medal unless the duties performed by him during his stay in the area are considered by the Area Commander to have materially contributed to the progress of the campaign. Prior to 1 July 1945 no individual was entitled to an area campaign medal for temporary or temporary additional duty unless such duty included a period of at least thirty (30) days in a designated area or unless he engaged in combat with or was subject to attack by enemy forces. In the latter case he became eligible immediately upon the occasion of the attack or combat without reference to time limit.
   9. In any case, service which entitled an individual to a star as defined in existing orders shall also entitle him to the ribbon of the area in which the service is rendered.
5. The Chief of Naval personnel, Commandant, United States Marine Corps and Commandant, United States Coast Guard have issued the necessary orders for appropriate entries to be made in the records of personnel entitled to the area campaign medals, for other required reports and records, and for procedure in case records are lost or destroyed.
6. Stars authorized for actual combat in operations and engagements, as authorized by the Chief of Naval Operations, will be worn on the ribbon bar and suspension ribbon of the respective Area Campaign medals and will be known as engagement stars. For the purpose of this order the following definitions are applicable:
   
   1. An "Operation" is a series of connected military actions occupying a specific area and time and may involve many clashes with the enemy.
   2. An "Engagement" is an action with the enemy taking place within a restricted time and area, and of sufficient intensity and significance to justify recognition.
   3. An "Area" is one of the three geographical areas, viz: American Area, European-African-Middle Eastern Area, Asiatic-Pacific Area.
7. The prerequisite to the wearing of a star on an area service ribbon shall be honorable service in a ship, aircraft unit or shore-based force at the time it participated in actual combat with the enemy. In instances in which the duty performed did not result in actual combat with the enemy but is considered equally hazardous, the Chief of Naval Operations may award an operation or engagement star to the units concerned. Not more than one star will be awarded for a single operation or engagement. Units supporting an engagement or operation, but subject only to the ordinary hazards of war, do not merit an award. (NOTE:--Any ship which has been awarded a Presidential Unit Citation or Navy Unit Commendation for meritorious participation in an action or campaign for which a combat star has been authorized is entitled to that combat star.)

1. The code numbers given to the operations and engagements in Part III are composed of a letter and digit. The letter indicates the Theater of Operation, the digit, the Specific Campaign. "P" is the designating letter for the Asiatic-Pacific area, "E" for the European-African-Middle Eastern area, the "A" for the American area. For example, P5 is the code number of the "Pacific Raids--1942."
2. Frequently an operation or engagement is composed of several actions. Each action listed has been further subdivided by a dash and number in sequence. For example, under the P5 Star five actions are listed, P5-1, P5-2, P5-3, etc. Participation in one or more of these actions entitles an individual to only one Star, the P5.
3. In addition to the above code numbers there are two special series: the "200" series is given for Convoy, Armed Guard, and Special Operations. For example, in Part III P205 was given to Task Group 30.4 for the period 22 May to 15 June 1944. The "000" series is given for "A" and "B" Antisubmarine Assessments. "E001" is given to a ship for its first "A" or "B" Assessment in European waters, "E002" for the second, etc.
4. A Star is authorized for each attack on enemy submarines which have been given an "A" or "B" assessment. However, if the date of this assessment falls within the dates for which another Star has been authorized, no additional Star shall be worn for that period. For example, in the case of the U.S.S. Bronstein (DE 189) four Stars have been authorized as follows:
   16 Feb 44 - 31 Mar 44 E216 (T.G. 21.16)
   1 Mar 44 E001 ("B" assessment)
   1 Mar 44 E002 ("B" assessment)
   16 Mar 44 E002 ("A" assessment) However, the personnel on board the Bronstein during this period may wear only three stars, one for each of the "B" assessments (E001 and E002) and one for the "A" assessment (E003), but may not wear one for E216.
5. In some cases, no date for the action is given. For example, in the case of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron (MTBS) 2, the P9 Star is authorized for participation in the "Capture and Defense of Guadalcanal." The over-all date for this operation is 10 August 1942 to 8 February 1943. Personnel who were attached to MTBS 2 during part of that period are not automatically eligible unless they actively participated in the Guadalcanal Area.
6. Attention is invited to P17-6, P22-13 and P28-7 entries. The "supporting and Consolidation" is not to be interpreted as being all-inclusive, but is to refer only to the dates so specified. For example, under "Naval Gunfire Liaison Officer, 7th Amphibious Force" we note P28-7 is authorized for Wakde Action 5-17-44. To be eligible for this Star, Navy personnel must have been at Wakde on 17 May 1944. This is not to be interpreted as entitling a Naval Gunfire Liaison Officer, who was at Wakde at a time other than 17 May during the period 21 April to 15 November 1944, to wear this Star.
7. In case of the U.S.S. Block Island only one Star is to be worn for participation in T.G. 21.11 and 21.16.

United States Army

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