Sampson Medal

Sampson Medal
TypeCampaign medal
Awarded forCombat operations in the waters of the West Indies and Cuba.
Presented byDepartment of the Navy
EligibilityPersonnel who were assigned in the fleet of Rear Admiral William T. Sampson during the Spanish–American War
StatusObsolete
Established1901
First awarded1901
Retroactive to 1898
Sampson Medal ribbon
Order of Wear (1972)
Next (higher)Dewey Medal[1]
Next (lower)Peary Polar Expedition Medal[1]
Reverse side of Sampson Medal[2]

The Sampson Medal was a U.S. Navy campaign medal. The medal was authorized by an Act of Congress in 1901. The medal was awarded to those personnel who served on ships in the fleet of Rear Admiral William T. Sampson during combat operations in the waters of the West Indies and Cuba. The Sampson Medal was also known as the West Indies Naval Campaign Medal,[3] not to be confused with the West Indies Campaign Medal which was a separate award. A similar commemorative decoration was the Dewey Medal, considered senior to the Sampson Medal.[1]

  1. ^ a b c The Code of Federal Regulations of the United States of America. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1972. p. 640.
  2. ^ "USN Ships-USS Yale (1898), later Harrisburg (ID # 1663)". History.navy.mil. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  3. ^ "Decorations, Medals and Ribbons" (PDF). All Hands. July 1947. p. 30. Retrieved September 26, 2013.