American Defense Service Medal

American Defense Service Medal
TypeService Medal
Awarded forService between 8 September 1939 and 7 December 1941
Presented byDepartment of War and Department of the Navy
EligibilityMilitary personnel only
StatusInactive
EstablishedExecutive Order 8808, June 28, 1941
First awardedSeptember 8, 1939 (retroactive)
Last awardedDecember 7, 1941 (retroactive)
Total recipientsabout 2,000,000


Service ribbon and Streamer
Precedence
Next (higher)Army: Army of Occupation of Germany Medal
Air Force: Air Force Recognition Ribbon
Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard: China Service Medal
Next (lower)Army – Women's Army Corps Service Medal
Navy & Marine Corps – American Campaign Medal
Air Force – American Campaign Medal

The American Defense Service Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces, established by Executive Order 8808, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, on June 28, 1941.[1][2] The medal was intended to recognize those military service members who had served on active duty between September 8, 1939, and December 7, 1941.

A similar medal, known as the American Campaign Medal, was established in 1942, for service in the American Theater during the World War II era.

  1. ^ Army Regulation 600–8–22 Military Awards (PDF). Washington, DC: Headquarters Department of the Army. 24 June 2013. p. 70. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-04-10. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
  2. ^ "American Defense Service Medal". The Institute of Heraldry. Archived from the original on 2014-01-10. Retrieved 10 January 2014.