Awards of
World War IIThe United States Soldier's Medal is awarded for heroic and extraordinary actions not involving combat with enemy forces.
Materials
Bronze.
Artist
Gaetano Cecere.
Award recipient
Any member of the United States Armed Forces.
Reasons for awarding
Committing a courageous act, or other extraordinary action, not involving combat with enemy forces.
The Soldier's Medal is awarded to members of all branches of the armed forces who have performed courageous or other exceptional acts of bravery at the risk of their lives, not involving direct combat with enemy forces.
The first recipients of the Soldier's Medal were Privates First Class John Burns and James Martin for their heroic actions while extinguishing a fire at an artillery depot in Virginia on August 18, 1926.
The Soldier's Medal was established by the U.S. Congress in 1926. It is a hexagonal bronze medallion bearing a relief image of an eagle with outstretched wings. The eagle sits on a bundle of rods, at the center of which is an axe. On either side of the eagle are thirteen five-pointed stars, symbolizing the first states of America: seven on the right and six on the left. In place of the seventh star is a miniature laurel branch. On the reverse, in the center, is a relief image of the lesser coat of arms of the United States, flanked by oak and laurel branches, and the inscriptions "SOLDIER'S MEDAL" and "FOR VALOR." Below the coat of arms is a plaque for engraving the name of the recipient. The medal is attached to a pentagonal ribbon bar covered with a blue moiré ribbon; in the center of the ribbon are 13 stripes of white and purple.