TracesOfWar needs your help! Every euro, pound or dollar you contribute greatly supports the continuation of this website. Go to stiwot.nl and donate!

American Campaign Medal

The American Campaign Medal was authorized by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on November 6th 1942. It could be awarded for service between December 7th 1941 and March 2nd 1946. It was not until 1948 until the criteria were made public. This was after the first example of the medal was awarded to General George C. Marshall on December 17th 1947.

The medal was designed by Thomas Hudson Jones, but the reverse side was designed by Adolph A. Wienman and is the same as on the European- African-Middle Eastern and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign medals. The ribbons design was approved on November 24th 1942.

The Bronze medal bears on the obverse a Navy Cruiser and a B-24 bomber flying over, with a sinking enemy submarine on the foreground. The buildings in the background represent the "Arsenal of Democracy". Above this can be read the words "AMERICAN CAMPAIGN". On the reverse one can see an American Bald Eagle between the dates "1941-1945" and the words "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA".
The ribbon is mostly Oriental Blue with on the left and right side a band with white-black-scarlet-white stripes. In the middle is a band with black-white-scarlet stripes. The blue stands for the Americas, the central part of blue, white and red represents the continuance of the defence after Pearl Harbor. The white and black stripes and the red and white stripes represent the German and Japanese enemy.
A Bronze star on the ribbon was to indicate for which campaign the medal was received. For three campaigns a bronze star could be awarded, for the Antisubmarine, the Ground Combat or the Air Combat Campaigns, all between December 7th 1941 and September 2nd 1945.
A unit could be awarded with a streamer to represent the medal and to be worn on the Army flag. In Order of Precedence the medal is to be worn right after the American Defence Medal and before the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. For woman belonging to the Woman’s Army Corps it was to be worn right after the Woman’s Army Corps Service Medal and before the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.

The official criteria are:

A) The American Campaign Medal was awarded to personnel for service within the American Theatre between 7 December 1941 and 2 March 1946 under any of the following conditions.
(1) On permanent assignment outside the continental limits of the United States.
(2) Permanently assigned as a member of a crew of a vessel sailing ocean waters for a period of 30 days or 60 non-consecutive days.
(3) Permanently assigned as a member of an operating crew of an airplane actually making regular and frequent flights over ocean waters for a period of 30 days.
(4) Outside the continental limits of the United States in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 days not consecutive.
(5) In active combat against the enemy and was awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that he actually participated in combat.
(6) Within the continental limits of the United States for an aggregate period of one year.

B) The eastern boundary of the American Theatre is from the North Pole, south along the 75th meridian west longitude to the 77th parallel north latitude, then southeast through Davis Strait to the intersection of the 40th parallel north latitude and the 35th meridian west longitude, then south along the meridian to the 10th parallel north latitude, then southeast to the intersection of the Equator and the 20th meridian west longitude, then south along the 20th meridian west longitude to the South Pole. The western boundary is from the North Pole, south along the 141st meridian west longitude to the east boundary of Alaska, then south and southeast along the Alaska boundary to the Pacific Ocean, then south along the 130th meridian to its intersection with the 30th parallel north latitude, then southeast to the intersection of the Equator and the 100th meridian west longitude to the South Pole. The American Theatre included North America (excluding Alaska) and South America.

Abbey, Philip David* October 18th, 1923
† June 9th, 1944
Plot: F Row: 17 Grave: 9

more
Abbott, Earl Leroy "Abby"* January 8th, 1919
† January 24th, 1945

more
Abel, Brent Maxwell* May 16th, 1916
† December 26th, 2005

more
Grid List
Cabell, John Breckenridge (USN)* 1921
† April 7th, 2011

more
Caddy, William Robert* August 8th, 1925
† March 3rd, 1945
Plot: C Grave: 81

more
Caldwell, Rex Smith, Sr.* September 5th, 1901
† October 1st, 1961

more
Callaghan, Daniel Judson* July 26th, 1892
† November 13th, 1942

more
Callaway, Ralph L.† February 1st, 1945
Plot: L Row: 9 Grave: 21

Campbell, Colin* November 23rd, 1895
† July 26th, 1970

more
Campbell, John, Jr. (134th Infantry Regiment)* September 19th, 1913
† December 29th, 1995

more
Carlisle, Joseph E.* December 28th, 1920

more
Carlson, Sivert J.* April 12th, 1922
† April 11th, 1945
Plot: B Row: 9 Grave: 12

more
Carpender, Arthur Schuyler "Chips"* October 24th, 1884
† January 10th, 1960

more
Carswell, Horace Seaver "Stump" Jr.* June 18th, 1916
† October 26th, 1944
Plot: 38 Grave: 3

more
Cary, Robert Webster* August 18th, 1890
† July 15th, 1967
Plot: 6 Grave: 5695-G

more
Casamento, Anthony* November 16th, 1920
† July 18th, 1987

more
Caserta, Joseph J. "Tanker Joe", Sr.* May 4th, 1922
† February 5th, 2021

Casner, Harry F.* February 6th, 1919
† March 22nd, 1960

Castle, Noel Oker* November 19th, 1911
† May 6th, 1942

more
Cates, Clifton Bledsoe* August 31st, 1893
† June 4th, 1970
Plot: 5 Grave: 12

more
Cerrato, Rocco F.* February 1st, 1916

more
Cervo, Joseph* April 3rd, 1925
† September 18th, 1944

more
Chamberlin, John C. "Jack"* November 9th, 1920
† February 7th, 1990

more
Chambers, Justice Marion* February 2nd, 1908
† July 29th, 1982

more
Champeny, Arthur Seymour* August 13th, 1893
† April 11th, 1979

more
Chapman, Elbridge Gerry, Jr.* November 20th, 1895
† July 6th, 1954

more
Childers, Ernest "Red Eagle"* February 1st, 1918
† March 17th, 2005

more
Chilson, Llewellyn M.* April 1st, 1920
† 1981

more
Churchill, Walter A.* November 12th, 1903
† September 21st, 1998

more
Clancy, Robert Lawrence* June 19th, 1922
† March 29th, 2004
Plot: 54 Grave: 2766

more
Clark, Golland Lee* December 2nd, 1912
† January 9th, 1945

more
Clark, Harold W.* November 19th, 1924
† October 1979

more
Clark, Max* 1897
† October 24th, 1944

more
Clarkson, David B.* November 26th, 1917
† April 22nd, 1945

more
Clay, Lucius Dubignon* April 23rd, 1897
† April 16th, 1978
Plot: XVIII Row: G Grave: 79

more
Clement, William Tardy* September 27th, 1894
† October 17th, 1955
Plot: 4 Grave: 2781

more
Clemmens, John F.* 1920
† January 20th, 1944
Plot: B Row: 1 Grave: 19

Cleven, Gale Winston "Buck"* December 27th, 1918
† November 17th, 2006
Plot: 18 Grave: 456

more
Coats, Robert Charles "Bob"* January 2nd, 1918
† July 7th, 2011
Plot: 307 Grave: 31

Cobb, Roy W.* June 18th, 1914
† January 1990

more
Coblentz, Harold* February 9th, 1919
† December 13th, 1943

Coffin, Albert Peyton "Scoofer"* October 19th, 1911
† December 13th, 1989

more
Colcord, Herbert N., Jr.* July 9th, 1925
† November 15th, 2020

more
Cole, Arthur Paul* March 7th, 1922
† June 13th, 2005

more
Cole, Darrell Samuel* July 20th, 1920
† February 19th, 1945

more
Cole, Robert George* March 19th, 1915
† September 18th, 1944
Plot: B Row: 15 Grave: 27

more
Colgan, Aquinas T.* February 20th, 1911
† May 6th, 1945

Collura, Rocco L.* February 22nd, 1915
† April 30th, 1999

more
Compton, Lynn D. "Buck"* December 31st, 1921
† February 26th, 2012

more
Conger, Alwyn D.* January 23rd, 1914
† January 10th, 1969

more
Conner, Garlin Murl* June 2nd, 1919
† November 5th, 1998

more
Conrad, Carl L.* 1923
† February 1994

more
Conroy, Donald "The Great Santini"* April 4th, 1921
† May 9th, 1998
Plot: 62 Row: O Grave: 182

more
Coogan, John Leslie "Jackie"* October 14th, 1914
† March 1st, 1984

more
Cook, Garland B.* January 12th, 1915
† April 2nd, 1977

more
Coolidge, Charles Henry* August 4th, 1921
† April 6th, 2021

more
Copeland, Robert Witcher* September 9th, 1910
† August 25th, 1973

more
Counasse, Emile R.* February 28th, 1919
† September 13th, 1988

Courtney, Henry Alexius Jr.* January 6th, 1916
† May 15th, 1945
Plot: T Row: 9 Grave: 4

more
Covell, William Edward Raab* November 29th, 1892
† August 16th, 1975

more
Cox, X.B.* February 12th, 1915
† November 4th, 2014

more
Craig, Allan Hamilton* November 7th, 1916
† November 5th, 1992

more
Craig, Orville B.* October 20th, 1919

more
Crawford, William John "Bill"* May 19th, 1918
† March 15th, 2000

more
Crim, William.L* December 4th, 1921
† June 25th, 1997

more
Crocker, Douglas Schocke* March 4th, 1916
† January 3rd, 1958
Plot: 2A Grave: 5751

Cromwell, John Philip* September 11th, 1901
† November 19th, 1943

more
Cushman, Robert Everton, Jr.* December 24th, 1914
† January 2nd, 1985

more
Cutter, Slade Deville* November 1st, 1911
† June 9th, 2005

more

Sources