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Bronze Star Medal (BSM)

The Bronze Star Medal was officially instituted by Executive Order 9419 on February 4th, 1944. It was based on the idea of Colonel Russell P. "Red" Reeder in 1943. He had launched the thought that it was good for the morale of the military when there was a decoration that could be awarded by Captains of a Company or Battery to the personnel who served under their command. Colonel Reeder saw this medal as the ground version of the Air Medal and first introduced the name "Ground Medal". At first the decoration was to be instituted with the U.S. Navy to be given to ground and surface personnel for heroic or meritorious deeds. For unknown reasons the institution did not occur. The idea was picked up by General George C. Marshall who wrote a memorandum to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The president instituted the medal the very next day.

The decoration could be awarded to any military who, serving within or together with the army of the United States after 6th December 1941, decorating himself by heoric or meritorious deeds as military, not participating in air operations, during military operations against an armed enemy or during an armed conflict in which the United States was not participating as a beligirent. The decoration could be awarded for the discribed heroic actions, not sufficient to be awarded the Silver Star or for meritorious actions or meritorious acting of service, which did not qualify for the awarding of the Legion of Merit. In 1947 the possibilities for awarding were enlarged. From that moment on the medal could also be awarded to any member of the United States Army that were mentioned in orders after December 6th, 1941 or who had received a certificate for exceptional service in goundbattle against an armed enemy between December 7th, 1941 and September 2nd, 1945 or who’s merit could be proven by documents dated before July 1st, 1947. This made it possible to award the Bronze Star to any person who had received the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge.
The Bronze Star can also be obtained by veterans or next of kinn. Military that took part in the struggle on the Philippines between December 7th, 1941 and May,10th 1942 could receive the medal when the action took place on Luzon, the Bataan peninsula or the Harbour Defences on Corregidor Island and were entitled to the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. Military who had received the Purple Heart during the early days of the Second World War specifically for merit and not for wounds could in some occasions also exchange the Purple Heart for the Bronze Star. To any foreign soldier that fought in close coöperation with the United States Army, the decoration could also be awarded.

The Bronze Star Medal was designed by Rudolf Freund of Bailey, Banks and Biddle who also designed the Silver Star. The decoration measures 1,5 inch (38 mm) over all. In the middle there can be found another bronze star with a diametre of 3/16 inch (4,8 mm). All radials in the centre of both stars continue in one each other. The back bears the inscription "HEROIC OR MERITIOUS ACHIEVEMENT" and a space to ingrave the recipients name.

The medal hangs on a ribbon with a square loop and rounded corners. The ribbon measures 1 3/8 inch (35 mm) wide. Left and right can be fond a 1/32 inch (1 mm) wide white line, followed to the inside by a scarlet 9/16 inch (14 mm) broad band. In the middel can be fond an ultramarine blue band measuring 1/8 inch (3 mm) flanked by two 1/32 inch (1 mm) lines.

Every next Bronze Star awarded was to be shown by a bronze oak leaf cluster (US Army, Air Corps and Air Force) or a golden star (US Navy, Marines and Coast Guard). At every fifth award, the bronze and golden were replaced by a a silver oak leaf cluster or silver star. A bronze "V" for "Valor" was awarded when the Bronze Star was received for heoism in battle, thus distincting the award from the Bronze Stars warded for merit. This "V" was introduced in 1945. The action it was to be awarded for had to be of significant value. Only one "V" was permitted to be worn on the ribbon.

Abrams, Creighton Williams, Jr.* September 15th, 1914
† September 4th, 1974

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Adams, Lucian* October 26th, 1922
† March 31st, 2003
Plot: AI Grave: 555

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Adler, Samuel Ludwig "Sam" (US Army)* October 4th, 1910
† April 20th, 1945
Plot: F Row: 11 Grave: 26

Grid List
NameDate of birthDate of deathAwards
Ragan, Michael S. 17-08-1949
Ragsdale, Vernon R.  
Rait, Cecil Malcolm  
Rajotte, Edwin J.  
Ramirez, Richard R.  
Ramon, Rafael G. Jr.  
Ramsey, Garfield A.  
Ramsey, Robert L.  
Raney, John D.  
Rankin, James B.  
Rasmussen, John E.  
Ray, Horace D., Jr.  
Ray, James W. 01-09-1944
Ray, Judson W.  
Rayser, Joseph  
Ready, John P. 08-06-1944
Reagan, Bruce W.  
Reaser, Joseph C. "Indian Joe"  
Redmond, George H.  
Reed, Clarence H. 03-03-1945
Reed, James C.  
Reed, Peter D.  
Reed, William P.  
Rees, Richard Geraint  
Reeves, Bert  
Reeves, Noah C. 06-12-1944
Reid, George N.  
Reid, J. L.  
Reischel, Eldephons C.  
Reishus, Lyle E.  
Retort, Patsy  
Reviere, Abbie  
Rewucki, Stephen J.  
Reynolds, Vance A.  
Rhodes, Carl R.  
Rhodes, Herman L.  
Rhodes, Homer C.  
Ribeiro, Americo D. C.   
Rice, Everett L.  
Rich, John A.  
Richards, Edward  
Richardson, Arthur Tait  
Richardson, Clarence W.  
Richardson, Clark M.  
Richardson, Francis E.  
Richman, Marvin  
Richter, Arthur F.  
Rickerson, Jesse B. "Ricky"  
Riddle, George L.  
Rieger, William J. (Sr.) 15-12-2006
Riggs, Woodrow W.  
Rivers, Furney M.  
Rixon, Charles R.  
Roach, John A.  
Roark, Tilden H. "Cowboy" 18-02-1944
Robb, Quentin W. H.  
Robel, Vincent D. 25-02-1945
Roberts, Frederick M.  
Roberts, Hugh O.  
Roberts, William A. 27-11-2016
Robertson, James T. 03-09-1992
Robertson, Olon G.  
Robertson, William D.  
Robinett, Clarence I. "Bud" 18-04-1945
Robinson, Harry L. 17-10-1944
Robinson, James L.  
Robinson, Jerome Stancil 26-01-2001
Robinson, Kenneth E.  
Robinson, William H.  
Roderick, Arthur David  more
Rodes, Peter P.  
Rogers, Arthur H.  
Rogner, Walter C.   
Rohm, Lawrence  
Rohmiller, Elmer C.  
Romblad, Chester 20-06-2011
Rominski, Robert J.  
Root, William A., II 04-04-1945
Rose, Norman M.  
Roseland, Clarence E. 06-10-1944
Rosenbalm, Verna Francis  
Rosenberg, Jack 21-02-1977
Rosenthal, Edwin M.  
Rosick, Michael  
Ross, Elton C.  
Ross, Milton E.  
Ross, Otto H.  
Rossman, John William  
Rothmeier, William E.  
Rothseid, Maurice  
Roti, Robert W.   
Roussy de Sales, de, Francois R.  
Rowan, John V., Jr.  
Rowden, Joseph  
Rowland, John  
Rox, Harry Franklin  
Royer, Samuel F.  
Rozycki, Carl  
Rubin, Morris  
Rubin, Paul  
Rubottom, Donald C.  
Ruby, Earl J.  
Rush, Bill  
Rush, William C.  
Ruthven, Malcolm R.  
Ryan, Dale H.  
Ryan, Francis  more
Ryan, Richard W.  
Rybacki, Joseph S.  
Rybicki, Ben P.  
Rybiski, Harry  
Ryszewski, Waclaw  
Rzepecki, Edwin N.  
Ruge, Otto09-01-188215-08-1961
Robertson, Walter Melville15-06-188822-11-1954more
Ross, Frank Seymour09-03-189306-05-1970
Robinson, John Nicholas08-05-189306-05-1978
Rice, John K.16-05-1896 
Rothgeb, Clarence Everett16-10-189811-09-1969
Rose, Maurice B.26-11-189930-03-1945more
Reeder, Russell Potter, Jr. "Red"04-03-190222-02-1998
Ruffner, Clark Louis12-09-190326-07-1982more
Rorimer, James Joseph07-09-190511-05-1966
Radford, Harry T.10-08-190727-02-1957
Renken, Henry Algernon28-02-190820-07-1986more
Robbins, Berton Aldrich, Jr.27-08-190804-12-1983more
Rudder, James Earl06-05-191023-03-1970more
Rancourt de Mimérand, de, Henry04-07-191028-07-1992more
Rothschild, Nathaniel Mayer Victor, 3rd Baron31-10-191020-03-1990
Reeves, Marvin Clayton03-12-191328-09-1996
Rider, Richard E. (US Army)29-05-191412-02-2004
Russell, William Leon26-07-191409-10-2000more
Rethemeyer, Robert13-11-191403-01-1945
Reeves, George Asa Jr.08-01-191510-05-2005
Romagni, Emedio00-00-1916 
Romberger, William Melvin (US Navy)16-05-191616-04-2001more
Rozenkrantz, David "Rosie"31-10-191628-09-1944more
Reynolds, William R.00-00-1917 
Rodgers, Edson R.17-06-1917 
Rysso, Robert Benjamin22-08-191700-11-1985
Rindskopf, Maurice Herbert "Mike"27-09-191727-07-2011more
Ross, Bayer Nonen05-11-1917 
Rentz, John Nevin07-12-191706-11-1976
Redle, David D.17-07-191807-01-2015
Rickerson, Roy Kirby19-11-1918 
Raider, Wandel L. (US Army)06-12-191802-11-1999
Roecker, Frederick Charles, Jr.11-07-191902-07-1996
Ramage, Lawson Paterson "Red"19-01-192015-04-1990more
Ramey, Elwood12-04-1920 
Reid, Ernest Leroy13-04-192018-09-2015more
Ravanel, Serge12-05-192027-04-2009more
Roach, Thomas P.18-06-192016-07-2015more
Randleman, Denver "Bull"20-11-192026-06-2003more
Ray, Leonard I.20-03-192113-12-1991
Rodgers, Thomas Lloyd05-04-192115-06-1944
Rafalski, Henry J.29-07-192112-02-1945
Risnes, Marvin L.08-04-192213-12-1993
Roe, Eugene Gilbert "Doc"17-10-192230-12-1998more
Rostain, Oliver Emile08-11-192216-02-2008
Ranney, Myron N. "Mike"21-11-192223-09-1988
Richardson, Fayette O. "Rich"20-04-192326-03-2010
Ruiz, Alejandro Renteria26-06-192323-11-2009
Reinboldt, Earl Wright26-09-192311-01-1969
Rulli, Anthony Raymond "Duke"28-09-192301-09-1982
Rice, Alvaren Daunzel28-12-192326-09-1944
Reichelt, Eugene Douglas "Gene"02-04-192528-06-2003
Ryberg, Robert William07-05-192519-02-1987
Reed, Ronald H.05-06-192513-03-1980more
Ragland, Ralph Eugene03-02-1935 more

Sources