Awards of
World War IIThe Distinguished Service Cross is the highest military decoration of the United States Army and is second in precedence only to the Medal of Honor in the US military award system.
Materials
Bronze.
Artist
Eimar Embry.
Awarded to
Officers and enlisted men of the US Army.
Reasons for the award
For exceptional heroism displayed by a soldier or officer of the United States Army, which, at the same time, is not sufficient to award the medal Honor.
During World War II, 5,059 people were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Among them were 3,984 soldiers and officers of the U.S. Army, 762 of the Air Force, 21 of the Navy, 31 of the Marine Corps, 258 citizens of other countries, and 3 civilians.
The Distinguished Service Cross became the highest military decoration of the U.S. Army, awarded to soldiers and officers who performed a personally outstanding act of heroism that, however, does not qualify for the Medal of Honor. This award could not be awarded for a combination of lesser actions.
The idea for the award was proposed by General John Perschig during World War I, as the US military award system at that time only had one military decoration, which was insufficient to recognize all soldiers who distinguished themselves in combat.
On June 9, 1918, the Distinguished Service Cross was established by an act of the US Congress. Initially, it was intended to be awarded only for acts of bravery performed during World War I, but after its conclusion, the Distinguished Service Cross remained in the award system.
The first version of the award differed slightly from the current one: the arms of the cross were decorated with oak leaves, and a diamond replaced the laurel wreath. Only 100 of these awards were issued, and they were later replaced by the final version. The current version of the award is made of bronze and is a cross 51 mm high and 46 mm wide. In the center of the cross is a laurel wreath, on which is superimposed the figure of an eagle, below which is a ribbon with the inscription "FOR VALOR" (For Courage). The reverse of the award also features a laurel wreath, in the center of which is engraved the name of the awarded hero. The Cross for Distinguished Service is attached to a pentagonal ribbon bar, covered with a moiré ribbon with five stripes: a wide central blue stripe, and narrow white and red stripes at the edges.