Medal for Merit

For the Imperial German decoration colloquially known as the "Blue Max" and bearing a French-language inscription meaning "for merit", see Pour le Mérite. For the Romanian medal, see Medal for Merit (Romania).
Medal for Merit
Obverse and reverse of the Medal for Merit
TypeSingle grade decoration
Awarded forExceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services during World War II
Country United States
Presented byPresident of the United States
EligibilityCivilians of the United States and allied nations
StatusNo longer awarded
Established20 July 1942[1]
First awarded28 March 1944[2]
Last awarded1952
Ribbon bar of the medal
Precedence
Next (higher)None (At the time of its awarding)
Next (lower)Medal of Freedom

The Medal for Merit was the highest civilian decoration of the United States in the gift of the president. Created during World War II, it was awarded by the President of the United States to civilians who "distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services" in the war effort "since the proclamation of an emergency by the President on September 8, 1939". Awards to civilians of foreign nations were eligible "only for the performance of exceptionally meritorious or courageous act or acts in furtherance of the war efforts of the United Nations."[1] It was last awarded in 1952.

The medal is made of gold-finished bronze and enamel and is worn on the left chest from a ribbon.[3]

  1. ^ a b 77th Congress of the United States. "Public Law 77-671 To create the decorations to be known as the Legion of Merit, and the Medal for Merit". Archived from the original on 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2019-02-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference ScienceRef was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference DoD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).