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49-491: The Army MUC emblem worn to represent award of the MUC is 1 7 ⁄ 16 inches wide and 9 ⁄ 16 inches in height. The emblem consists of a 1 ⁄ 16 inch wide gold frame with laurel leaves which encloses a scarlet 67111 ribbon. The previously authorized emblem was a gold color embroidered laurel wreath, 1 5 ⁄ 8 inches in diameter on a 2 inches square of olive drab cloth. The Army MUC (previously called

98-531: A golden wreath to be worn on the right breast of the service coat immediately above the pocket, was approved in April 1947. This replaced the sleeve insignia and was to be effective 1 January 1949. On 16 May 1947, Army Regulation 260-15 announced the MUC, granted the wear of the MUC emblem, and provided for the display of the scarlet MUC streamer, with the name of the applicable theater of operations in white letters. On 11 April 1949, The Adjutant General advised D/PA that

147-668: A meritorious service medal, and provide designs in the event the decoration was established. Proposed designs prepared by Bailey, Banks, and Biddle, and the Office of the Quartermaster General were provided to the Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel (Colonel Heard) by the QMG on January 5, 1942. The Assistant Chief of Staff (G-1), Brigadier General John H. Hilldring, in a response to the QMG on April 3, 1942, indicated

196-732: A silver 5 ⁄ 16 inch star is equivalent to a silver oak leaf cluster. While the Air Force uses oak leaf clusters for the Air Medal, since the Vietnam War, the Army has used 3 ⁄ 16 -inch (4.8 mm) bronze Arabic numerals to denote subsequent awards, in which case the ribbon denotes the first award and numerals starting with the numeral "2" denote additional awards. In other nations, oak leaf clusters are also used as symbols for various awards and decorations. In Germany,

245-709: Is awarded by the Secretary of the Navy , Chief of Naval Operations , or Commandant of the Marine Corps to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps that has distinguished itself, under combat or non-combat conditions, by either valorous or meritorious achievement, which renders the unit outstanding compared to other units performing similar service, but not sufficient to justify award of the Navy Unit Commendation . This award may also be conferred upon units of

294-414: Is considered 30 calendar days) during military operations against an armed enemy without regard to type of duties performed or the type of unit performing the duties. All members of the unit cited for the award are approved to wear the emblem of the MUC. The emblem is thought of as an individual decoration for those in connection with the cited acts and is approved to be worn if they continue as members with

343-549: Is one of only two United States military decorations to be issued as a neck order (the other being the Medal of Honor ), and the only United States military decoration that may be issued in degrees (much like an order of chivalry or certain Orders of Merit), although the degrees including a neck ribbon are only awarded to non-U.S. nationals. The Legion of Merit is seventh in the order of precedence of all U.S. military awards and

392-738: Is worn after the Defense Superior Service Medal and before the Distinguished Flying Cross . In contemporary use in the U.S. Armed Forces, the Legion of Merit is typically awarded to Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force general officers and colonels , and Navy and Coast Guard flag officers and captains occupying senior command or very senior staff positions in their respective services. It may also be awarded to officers of lesser rank, senior warrant officers (typically in command positions at

441-523: The Department of Homeland Security with direct oversight of the U.S. Coast Guard . The degrees of Chief Commander, Commander, Officer, and Legionnaire are awarded only to members of armed forces of foreign nations under the criteria outlined in Army Regulation 672-7 and is based on the relative rank or position of the recipient as follows: When the Legion of Merit is awarded to members of

490-802: The German euro coinage . In earlier times, the Pour le Mérite , the highest military order in the Kingdom of Prussia , could also be awarded with oak leaves. A civil version of the order, for accomplishments in the arts and sciences, still exists in the Federal Republic of Germany . In Commonwealth countries, a bronze oak leaf signifies a Mention in Despatches , and is worn as a gallantry award in its own right, rather than to signify multiple instances of campaign service. The Commonwealth equivalent of

539-614: The NOAA Commissioned Corps . Except for the Air Medal , unique decorations and awards issued by Department of the Army or Department of the Air Force, and those decorations and awards issued by the Department of Defense, the other uniformed services use 5 ⁄ 16 inch stars to indicate subsequent personal decorations only; a gold 5 ⁄ 16 inch star is equivalent to a bronze oak leaf cluster, while

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588-407: The 1980s, the Legion of Merit began to be awarded more frequently to senior-ranking warrant officers (W-4 and W-5), as well as to senior enlisted service members (E-8 and E-9), usually as a retirement award. When not awarded as a retirement award, it is most commonly awarded to officers in pay grade O-6 and higher. The Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) was established in 1969 as a "junior" version of

637-549: The Army and later the Air Force, provided for the Legion of Merit to be awarded with a "V" device indicating awards for participation in combat operations. From 1942 to 1944, the Legion of Merit was awarded for a fairly wide range of achievements. This was because it was, until the establishment of the Bronze Star Medal in 1944, the only decoration below the Silver Star which could be awarded for combat valor, and

686-642: The German oak is the national tree of Germany, thus oak leaves are a prominent symbol on most German military orders. During World War II , the Knight's Cross of the German Iron Cross could be awarded with the additional distinction of oak leaves ( mit Eichenlaub ). Of the 7,313 awards of the Knight's Cross, only 882 received oak leaves. After World War II, Iron Crosses awarded previously could be worn by

735-533: The Legion of Merit and prior to 2003 was only awarded for non-combat service. The MSM is awarded more frequently, and to more lower-ranking military personnel, than the Legion of Merit. Recipients of the MSM are usually in pay grades E-7 thru E-9, W-3 thru W-5 (Army Only), and O-4 thru O-6 for the Army, Air Force, and Space Force; for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard the MSM is usually presented to those in pay grades E-9, W-4, W-5, O-5 and O-6. The ribbon for all of

784-538: The Legion of Merit and provided that the medal "shall have suitable appurtenances and devices and not more than four degrees, and which the President, under such rules and regulations as he shall prescribe, may award to The medal was announced in War Department Bulletin No. 40, dated August 5, 1942. Executive Order 9260, dated October 29, 1942, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt , established

833-580: The Meritorious Service Unit Plaque) is awarded to units for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding services for at least six continuous months during the period of military operations against an armed enemy occurring on or after 1 January 1944. Service in a combat zone is not required, but must be directly related to the combat effort. Units based in CONUS are excluded from this award, as are other units outside

882-560: The Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard). Until 2017, the sea services (the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard) awarded the Combat "V" for wear on the LOM. The Army, Air Force, and Space Force do not authorize the "V" device for the Legion of Merit. Oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a ribbon device to denote preceding decorations and awards consisting of a miniature bronze or silver twig of four oak leaves with three acorns on

931-537: The Secretary of War had approved the design recommended by the QMG. The design of the Legion of Merit (change of name) would be ready for issue immediately after legislation authorizing it was enacted into law. (A separate medal called the Meritorious Service Medal was established in 1969.) An act of Congress (Public Law 671, 77th Congress, Chapter 508, 2d Session) on July 20, 1942, established

980-682: The Space Force in the Space Force, and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps in the Marine Corps), but these instances are less frequent, typically by exception, and the circumstances vary by branch of service. Authority to award the Legion of Merit is reserved for general officers and flag officers in pay grade O-9 (i.e., lieutenant general , vice admiral ) and above, civilian Department of Defense personnel at assistant service secretary or Assistant Secretary of Defense level and above, or equivalent secretary-level civilian personnel with

1029-647: The area of operation. The unit must display such outstanding devotion and superior performance of exceptionally difficult tasks as to set it apart and above other units with similar missions. The degree of achievement required is the same as that which would warrant award of the Legion of Merit (LOM) to an individual. Recommendations for units larger than a brigade will not be submitted. For services performed during World War II, awards will be made only to service units and only for services performed between 1 January 1944 and 15 September 1946. The Meritorious Service Unit Plaque

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1078-729: The award for her service during the defense of the Philippines. LTJG Bernatitus was also the first recipient of the Legion of Merit authorized to wear a Combat "V" with the medal. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was presented the Legion of Merit by President Roosevelt while he was en route to the Tehran Conference , in Cairo, Egypt , on November 26, 1943. In 1943, at the request of the Army Chief of Staff , General George C. Marshall , approval authority for U.S. personnel

1127-530: The award. An award will not be made to a unit for actions of one or more of its component parts, unless the unit performed uniformly as a team in a manner fully justifying collective recognition. The Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation is worn after the Navy Unit Commendation and before the Navy "E" Ribbon . Additional awards of the Navy MUC are denoted by 3 ⁄ 16 inch bronze stars . The Coast Guard MUC

1176-478: The country of the award's origin. In October 1942, Brazilian Army Brigadier General Amaro Soares Bittencourt became the first person awarded the Legion of Merit (Commander) and a week later, Lieutenant, junior grade Ann A. Bernatitus , a U.S. Navy Nurse Corps officer, became the first member of the United States Armed Forces and the first woman to receive the Legion of Merit. She received

1225-571: The date " MDCCLXXXII " (1782), which is the date of America's first decoration, the Badge of Military Merit , now known as the Purple Heart . The ribbon design also follows the pattern of the Purple Heart ribbon. Additional awards of the Legion of Merit are denoted by oak leaf clusters (in the Army, Air Force, and Space Force), and by 5 ⁄ 16 inch (7.9 mm) gold stars (in

1274-539: The decorations is 1 + 3 ⁄ 8 inches (35 mm) wide and consists of the following stripes: 1 ⁄ 16 inch (1.6 mm) white; center 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (32 mm) crimson; and 1 ⁄ 16 inch (1.6 mm) white. The reverse of all of the medals has the motto taken from the Great Seal of the United States , " ANNUIT COEPTIS " ("He [God] has favored our undertakings") and

1323-507: The degrees above Legionnaire to United States military personnel. The Legion of Merit is similar to the French Legion of Honor in both its design, a five-armed cross, and in that it is awarded in multiple degrees. Unlike the Legion of Honor, however, the Legion of Merit is only awarded to military personnel. In addition, it is the only award in the world with multiple degrees of which the higher degrees cannot be awarded to citizens of

1372-473: The design of the decoration were influenced by the French Legion of Honour ( Légion d'honneur ). Although recommendations for creation of a medal for meritorious service were initiated as early as September 1937, no formal action was taken toward approval. In a letter to the Quartermaster General (QMG) dated December 24, 1941, the Adjutant General formally requested action be initiated to create

1421-735: The entire unit performed as a team. The Coast Guard MUC is worn after the Coast Guard Unit Commendation and before the Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation . Additional awards of the Coast Guard MUC are denoted by 5 ⁄ 16 inch gold stars . The MUC may also be awarded with the Operational Distinguishing Device , denoted by a 1 ⁄ 4 inch silver letter "O" centered on

1470-425: The first ribbon. The second ribbon counts as one additional award, after which more leaf clusters may be added to the second ribbon. If future awards reduce the number of oak leaf clusters worn on the first ribbon due to bronze oak leaf clusters being replaced by a silver oak leaf cluster, the second ribbon is removed and the appropriate number of devices is placed on the first ribbon. The following are examples of

1519-418: The first through twenty-first awards of an Army Commendation Medal with the bronze and silver oak leaf clusters: Oak leaf clusters may be worn on Department of Defense , Department of the Army , and Department of the Air Force decorations and awards presented to members of the eight uniformed services : the Army, Navy , Marine Corps , Air Force, Space Force , Coast Guard , Public Health Service , and

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1568-536: The only decoration below the Distinguished Service Medal which could be awarded for meritorious noncombat service. After the establishment of the Bronze Star Medal (BSM) in February 1944, the Legion of Merit was awarded almost exclusively to senior officers in the rank of lieutenant colonel (Army, Marine Corps and Air Force) or commander (Navy and Coast Guard) (O-5), and above. Beginning in

1617-530: The other branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the armed forces of friendly foreign nations serving with U.S. Armed Forces, provided such units meet the standards established for Navy and Marine Corps units. To justify this award, the unit must have performed service of a character comparable to that which would merit the award of a Bronze Star Medal , or achievement of like caliber in a non-combat situation, to an individual. Normal performance of duty or participation in many combat missions does not, in itself, justify

1666-422: The rank of chief warrant officer 5), and to very senior enlisted personnel (typically in the rank of command sergeant major and Sergeant Major of the Army in the Army, fleet master chief petty officer and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy in the Navy, command chief master sergeant and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force in the Air Force, command chief master sergeant and Chief Master Sergeant of

1715-629: The recipient provided the swastika was replaced by oak leaves. The Bundeswehr awards the Cross of Honour for Bravery for extraordinary bravery. The Cross of Honour for Bravery differs from the Badge of Honour by an adornment in the shape of stylized double oak leaves. Furthermore, it was featured on the Pfennig in Germany and since the introduction of the euro in 2001 it is used on the obverse side of

1764-445: The ribbon. Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit ( LOM ) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight uniformed services of the United States as well as to military and political figures of foreign governments. The Legion of Merit (Commander degree)

1813-560: The rules for the Legion of Merit, and required the President's approval for the award. Following the invasion of North Africa in November 1942, a number of United States officers were awarded the Legion of Merit in the degree of Officer. One of the recipients was future Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lyman Lemnitzer . Soon after, regulations for the award of the Legion of Merit were revised so that it would not be awarded in

1862-419: The stem. It is authorized by the United States Armed Forces for a specific set of decorations and awards of the Department of Defense , Department of the Army , and Department of the Air Force . The bronze oak leaf cluster represents one additional award, while the silver oak leaf cluster is worn in lieu of five bronze oak leaf clusters. Oak leaf clusters are worn with the stems of the leaves pointing to

1911-401: The stock position was such that the sleeve patch would not be exhausted prior to 1959. By Comment 2, 1 March 1960, Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel (G-1) stated that for planning purposes, the new Meritorious Service Unit emblem would be authorized for wear on or after 1 January 1961, with wear of the old one prohibited after 30 June 1962. However, the stock level was still so high that the ribbon

1960-490: The type of unit performing the duties. Such service is interpreted to relate to combat service support type activities and not to the type of activities performed by senior headquarters, combat, or combat support units. Effective 11 September 2001, the MUC is authorized for units and/or detachments of the Armed Forces of the United States for exceptionally meritorious performance for at least six continuous months (a month

2009-415: The uniformed services of the United States, it is awarded without reference to degree. The criteria are "for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements" and is typically reserved for senior officers at O-6 level and above, typically in connection with senior leadership/command positions or other senior positions of significant responsibility. The degrees and

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2058-462: The unit meets the standards established for Coast Guard units. To justify the award, the service performed as a unit must be comparable to that which would meet the award of a Coast Guard Achievement Medal (CGAM) to an individual. Normal performance of duty or participation in a large number of operational missions does not in itself justify the award. A Coast Guard MUC will not be awarded to a large unit for actions of one or more of its sub-units unless

2107-599: The unit or not. Other personnel serving with the unit are approved to wear the emblem to show that the unit is a recipient of the MUC. The Army Meritorious Unit Commendation is worn after the Valorous Unit Award and before the Superior Unit Award . Additional awards of the Army MUC are denoted by bronze oak leaf clusters . The Navy MUC was authorized by SECNAV Notice 1650 on 17 July 1967 and

2156-405: The wearer's right. For medals, 13 ⁄ 32 -inch (10 mm) oak leaf clusters are worn on the medal's suspension ribbon. For service ribbons , 5 ⁄ 16 -inch (7.9 mm) oak leaf clusters are worn, with no more than four oak leaf clusters being worn side by side. If the number of authorized oak leaf clusters exceeds four, a second ribbon is authorized for wear and is worn after

2205-680: The wreath on the insignia represented additional awards, until War Department Circular No. 54, 1946, provided that additional awards would be shown by placing a gold numeral on the inside of the wreath. In December 1946, the Meritorious Service Unit Plaque was eliminated, replaced with the issue of the Meritorious Unit Commendation. A new design of the Meritorious Service Unit Emblem, a solid red ribbon bordered by

2254-564: Was delegated to the Department of War . Executive Order 10600, dated March 15, 1955, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower , again revised approval authority. Current provisions are contained in Title 10, United States Code 1121. As a result, awarding authority for the Legion of Merit resides with general officers/flag officers at the Lieutenant General / Vice Admiral level or higher. The U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, unlike

2303-540: Was established in November 1973, and is awarded in the name of the Commandant of the Coast Guard . The MUC may be awarded to any unit of the Coast Guard that has distinguished itself by either valorous or meritorious achievement or service in support of Coast Guard operations not involving combat. The Commandant may also bestow the award upon a unit of another branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, provided

2352-417: Was not introduced into the supply system until 14 July 1966. Effective 1 March 1961, the MUC was authorized for units or detachments of the armed forces of the United States for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding services for at least six continuous months (a month is considered 30 calendar days) during military operations against an armed enemy without regard to duties performed or

2401-543: Was originally established by War Department Circular No. 345 on 23 August 1944. The circular provided that members of units which received the Plaque were entitled to wear the Meritorious Service Unit Insignia, a two-inch square olive drab patch with an image of a golden wreath on the right sleeves of their service coats and shirts, four inches from the end of the sleeve. A gold star placed inside

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