Spanish War Service Medal

Spanish War Service Medal

Awarded by United States Military
Type	Service medal
Awarded for	Military personnel who performed active duty during the Spanish–American War, but did not qualify for the Spanish Campaign Medal.
Status	Obsolete
Statistics
First awarded	20 April 1898
Last awarded	11 April 1899
Service ribbon of the medal

The Spanish War Service Medal was a United States military medal of the Army which was established by an act of the U.S. Congress on 9 July 1918 (40 Stat. 873). The medal recognizes those members of the Army who performed active duty during the Spanish–American War, but did not qualify for the Spanish Campaign Medal.

Background

The primary purpose for the creation of the Spanish War Service Medal was to recognize units of the Army which had performed homeland defense in the United States during the years of the Spanish–American War. The award was also presented extensively to members of the United States National Guard who had been federalized for active military duty but had not been deployed to actual combat in the Spanish-American War.

The first recipient was Major General Charles M. Clement who was the longest-tenured National Guard officer eligible for the award at the time it was authorized.^[1] The medal, itself, was similar in design to the Mexican Border Service Medal which had been established the same year as the Spanish War Service Medal.

Criteria

To be awarded the Spanish War Service Medal, a service member must have served on active duty in the United States Army between the dates of 20 April 1898 and 11 April 1899. Those who were awarded the Spanish Campaign Medal were ineligible to receive the Spanish War Service Medal.

The Spanish War Service Medal was a one time decoration and there were no devices authorized to the medal. The award was also strictly for Army personnel, since United States Navy and Marine Corps personnel, who had served in the Spanish–American War, qualified for the Spanish Campaign Medal regardless if overseas duty was performed.

Appearance

The medal is made of bronze and is 1 ³⁄₈ inches (35 mm) wide. The obverse of the medal is a Roman sword hanging on a tablet bearing the inscription FOR SERVICE IN THE SPANISH WAR. The tablet is surrounded by a wreath, while the sword is sheathed representing the service of the National Guard within the Continental United States, not in combat. The reverse bears the coat of arms of the United States over a scroll inscribed FOR SERVICE surrounded by a wreath with the insignia of the Infantry at left, Artillery at the bottom and Cavalry at right. The ribbon is emerald green 1 ³⁄₈ inches (35 mm) wide. At the edges are golden yellow stripes ¹⁄₄ inch (6.4 mm) wide.^[2]

References

↑ Harrisburg Telegraph, Clement Gets Two Medals, June 24, 1919
↑ "Spanish War Service Medal". The Institute of Heraldry. Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. Retrieved 23 June 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Spanish War Service Medal.

"Spanish War service medal". Pritzker Military Museum & Library. Retrieved 6 November 2016.

United States Campaign, Expeditionary, and Service Medals

19th century	Civil War Campaign Medal Indian Campaign Medal Dewey Medal Sampson Medal Cardenas Medal of Honor West Indies Campaign Medal Spanish Campaign Medal Spanish War Service Medal Army of Cuban Occupation Medal Army of Puerto Rican Occupation Medal Philippine Campaign Medal Philippine Congressional Medal

Early 20th century	China Campaign Medal (Army) China Relief Expedition Medal (Navy) Army of Cuban Pacification Medal Cuban Pacification Medal Nicaraguan Campaign Medal Haitian Campaign Medal Dominican Campaign Medal

World War I era	Mexican Service Medal Mexican Border Service Medal World War I Victory Medal Texas Cavalry Medal Army of Occupation of Germany Medal

Inter war era	Navy Expeditionary Medal Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal Haitian Campaign Medal NC-4 Medal Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal Yangtze Service Medal Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal United States Antarctic Expedition Medal

World War II era	China Service Medal American Defense Service Medal Women's Army Corps Service Medal American Campaign Medal European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal Medal for Humane Action

Late 20th century	National Defense Service Medal Korean Service Medal Antarctica Service Medal Coast Guard Arctic Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal Kosovo Campaign Medal Armed Forces Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal

21st century	Afghanistan Campaign Medal Iraq Campaign Medal Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Korea Defense Service Medal Air and Space Campaign Medal Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal

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