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Silver Star Medal (SSM)

By act of the US Congress on July 9th 1918, the Silver Star Medal was instituted as "Citation Star". The decoration then was not more than a small silver star that could be worn on the ribbon of any campaign decoration. The Congress decided in 1932 that a star could be awarded for actions dating back to the Spanish-American war in 1898. The decoration was then given a new name as Silver Star Medal and was newly designed. The original "Citation Star" was placed in the middle of the new design. The designer of the new Silver Star Medal was Rudolf Freund of "Bailey, Banks and Biddle".
On August 7th, 1942, the American Congress decided that the Silver Star Medal also could be given to civilians.
The decoration comes in the form of a gold coloured star, with in the central part a laurel wreath. In the middle of this one can find the smaller Silver Star from the "Citation Star". On the reverse, the medal bears the words "FOR GALLANTRY IN ACTION".
The first real Silver Star Medal was awarded to General Douglas Mac Arthur in August 1932. He received it with six times the Oak Leaves, which means he received the Silver Star Medal seven times at once.

The Ribbon is white and has two blue stripes near the sides and a red stripe over the middle.

The decoration could be awarded to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the US Army, is cited for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force, or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The required gallantry, while a lesser degree than that required for award of the Distinguished Service Cross, must nevertheless have been performed with marked distinction.

Only for the first time the Silver Star Medal is being awarded, the recipient really received the medal. Within the US Army and the US Army Air Force/US Air Force, a Bronze Oak Leave was received for every further Silver Star Medal. The Oak Leave was to be worn on the ribbon of the first Silver Star Medal. Within the US Navy, US Marines Corps and the US Coast Guard, a Golden Star was received.
For every fifth Bronze Oak Leave or Golden Star a Silver Oak Leave or Silver Star was received.

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

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Grid List
NameDate of birthDate of deathAwards
Jabara, James "Jabby"10-10-192317-11-1966more
Jablonski, Harry F.  
Jablonski, Joseph A.  
Jablonski, Joseph J. (95th Infantry Division)  
Jablonski, Joseph J. (US Marine Corps)  
Jablonski, Stephen J.  
Jablonski, Walter M.  
Jackson, Burton Henry Peter00-11-191926-10-2006more
Jackson, Charles Andrew 13-12-1943
Jackson, Fowler, Jr.  
Jackson, Schuyler Wolcott "Sky"26-02-1919 
Jacobs, Irving 31-01-1989
Jacobson, Clarence E.  
Jacobson, Mendel W. 10-07-1944
James, Theodore A.  
Jameson, Patrick Geraint10-11-191201-10-1996more
Jancar, Arnost10-11-1921 
Jandro, Howard J.19-01-192523-02-1945
Janney, André09-09-190523-07-1985more
Jaouen, Jean30-05-191830-05-1945more
Jarrett, Harry Bean12-10-189809-04-1974more
Jasak, John Robert02-11-192231-07-1986
Jasper, Cooly S.  
Jauregui, Augustine V. 00-11-1943
Jebo, Elmer H.  
Jedrziewski, Anthony A.03-01-191523-01-1985
Jenkins, Ernest A.  
Jennings, Harold Frederick (Hal)03-04-191828-06-1998
Jentsch, Arthur H.  
Jeppson, Morris Richard23-06-192230-03-2010
Jepsen, Marvin E.  
Jerstad, John Louis "Jack"12-02-191801-08-1943more
Jerue, George Edward26-08-192029-04-1984
Jessup, Ernest D.  
Jeter, Cody  
Jezierski, William P.00-09-191910-07-1943
Jibilian, Arthur30-04-1923 
Jimenez, Robert  
Job, Eugene E.  
Johns, Glover Steiner Jr.31-01-191219-05-1976more
Johnson, Alvin B.Q.28-12-192110-02-1976
Johnson, Arthur G., Jr.  
Johnson, Charles Edward28-07-192414-03-1958
Johnson, Charles Frederick11-01-1922 
Johnson, Dwight Lyman16-08-191405-04-1987
Johnson, Earle A.16-03-1893 more
Johnson, Gerald R. "Jerry"23-06-192007-10-1945more
Johnson, Harold W. 06-03-1945
Johnson, Howard Ravenscroft “Jumpy”18-06-190308-10-1944
Johnson, James W.  
Johnson, John T.  
Johnson, LeGrand King "Legs"  
Johnson, Leon William13-09-190410-11-1997more
Johnson, Leroy06-12-191915-12-1944
Johnson, Lyndon Baines27-08-190822-01-1973
Johnson, Paul H.  
Johnson, Richard17-04-1926 
Johnson, Robert Samuel "Bob"21-02-192027-12-1998more
Johnson, Roy C.  
Johnson, Thomas C.  
Johnson, Walter M.00-00-190300-06-1997more
Johnson, Warren E., Jr.  
Johnston, Lucian Burle  
Jojola, Joseph R.  
Jojola, Sam  
Jolivette, James Peter00-00-191500-00-1945
Jonas, Glenn15-06-191925-11-1990
Jones, Curran "Jack"04-10-191917-11-2013
Jones, David E. 10-04-1945
Jones, Edward Allison "Hillbilly"01-04-191710-10-1944
Jones, Edward Harral23-10-189430-01-1985
Jones, George Madison "The Warden"22-02-191116-12-1996more
Jones, Homer H.  
Jones, Jenkin R. 26-05-1944
Jones, Sherman F.  
Jones, Wade E.  
Jones, William Kenefick23-10-1916 
Jordan, Walter I. "Irvine"  
Jozwiak, Edwin  
Juarez, Frank M.  
Juarez, Pascual  
Jurika, Stephen Jr.09-12-191015-07-1993

Sources