Spanish American War
West Indies Naval Campaign
Special Meritorious Service Medal
Contributed by Tim Wilson
The Spanish Campaign Navy Special Meritorious Service Medal was authorized
by Congress on march 3, 1901 and was meant to be issued to qualifiying
individuals for acts of valor done between May 1 and August 16, 1898. This
medals was to be issue to mebers of the Navy and Marines to commemorate
"heroic and conspicuous service, other than in battle in the West Indies
Campaign. Most were issued to men involved in the rescue of Spanish crewmen
after the Battle of Santiago.
The medal is in the form of a maltese cross. In the center is a fouled
anchor, surrounded by a wreath of oak and laurel (representing strength
and victory respectively). In the circle around the wreath are the words
" * U.S. NAVAL CAMPAIGN * WEST INDIES." On the arms at the cross, beginning
at the left, are the following words: "SPECIALLY," "MERITORIOUS," "SERVICE,"
and "1898."
The reverse side (right, above) was left blank to allow for the inscribing
of the recipient's name indication of the act for which it was gained.
Bibliography:
(As a service to our readers, clicking on title in red
will take you to that book on Amazon.com)
Strandberg, LTC John E., and Roger James Bender,
The Call of Duty. 2nd Edition (San Jose, CA: R. James Bender
Publishing, 2004).
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