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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
Aaron, Hubert Lee18-10-192302-06-2014more
Abate, Albert Francis "Al"29-07-191501-12-2000more
Abbott, Earl Leroy "Abby"08-01-191924-01-1945more
Abernathy, William F. 'Spike'26-08-191805-12-1986
Able, Johnnie J.05-08-192301-12-1967
Abraham, Edward G.18-02-191204-09-1974
Abrams, Creighton Williams, Jr.15-09-191404-09-1974more
Abshire, James W.  
Adams, Albert J.  
Adams, Carlton R.06-04-190826-10-1990more
Adams, Donald R.20-02-192020-09-1944more
Adams, Henry T.  
Adams, Jonathan E., Jr. "Jock"08-09-191720-09-1984
Adams, Joseph  
Adams, Kastian J.  
Adams, Mark L.  
Adams, Ronald F., Sr.31-12-192107-01-1945
Adkins, Aaron C.  
Afflitto, Walter Frank "Flip"18-06-192022-08-1989
Agna, Reginald A.24-12-191423-11-1944
Agnes, John E.  
Ahearn, John Littleton30-11-191423-06-2004
Ahmed, Ali Ben Chelli01-01-1919 
Ahola, Ero W.  
Aiello Jr., James J.  
Aiguier, ?  
Ainsworth, Ellen Gertrude09-03-191916-02-1944
Ainsworth, Loyce F.  
Aitken, Robert Bruce  
Akers, George Edward05-05-192201-01-1945
Akin, Spencer Bell13-02-188906-10-1973more
Albert, Howard 23-12-1943
Alcantar, Max L.14-12-192125-02-1945
Alexander, John D.  
Alexander, Mark James23-01-191121-05-2004
Alexander, Merrill S.  
Alexander, Richard D.  
Alioto, John02-05-191525-02-1945
Alison, John Richardson (Johnny)21-11-191206-06-2011more
Allen, Floyd C.  
Allen, Harold C.  
Allen, James R.  
Altman, Sidney Joseph (USMC)05-11-191720-06-1998
Alvarez, Guillermo C.  
Ames, Godfrey Roland "Roly"04-05-191231-01-1945
Amey, Herbert R., Jr.22-02-191320-11-1943
Amira, Ralph00-00-1921 
Anderson, Clarence Franklin19-07-191810-10-1993
Anderson, Harold R.  
Anderson, Harry R. (US Army)  
Anderson, John S. 26-03-1945
Anderson, Leroy H.02-02-190625-09-1991
Anderson, Maurice Milner18-09-192415-12-2007
Anderson, Robert Philip "Bob"  
Anderson, Theodore S.  
Andrew, Arthur T.  
Andrew, Tom H.  
Andrews, Charles Herbert14-05-190807-12-1981more
Andrieux, Jacques Marie Anne15-08-191721-01-2005
Andzelik, John  
Angel, Norman B. (US Army)09-09-192330-09-1987
Angell, David H.  
Anglade, Pierre21-11-192103-07-1946
Angoud, Mohammed  
Annicchiarico, Joseph  
Anoushian, Ralph  
Antone, Albert M.  
Antone, Ferris J. 26-08-1942
Apello, Joseph A.  
Arbogast, Edward P.  
Argo, Charles R.  
Arheit, Frederick J.  
Arizzoli, Jacques24-03-1922 
Armellino, John Ralph21-02-192117-09-2004
Armentrout, George C.  
Armstrong, Edward C.  
Armstrong, Mason H.  
Arnold, Archibald Vincent "Archie"24-02-188904-01-1973
Arnold, Arthur A.  
Arnold, William Howard18-01-190130-09-1976more
Arrington, Charles D., Jr.  
Arrison, Robert L.  
Arter, Berman Lee (US Army)16-09-191910-10-1987
Aschenbrenner, Clarence John "Bull"30-05-191819-03-1942
Ashton, William E.  
Ashworth, Joe  
Asin, Carlos C.  
Askew, Clair F.05-02-191711-08-1944
Asmussen, John, Jr.  
Aston, William L., Jr.  
Atchison, Mark Dorgan 00-00-1951
Atherton, Roger L. 20-09-1944
Atkins, Barry Kennedy02-08-191115-11-2005
Atkinson, Jack S.  
Atkisson, Clarence M.  
Atwood, Dayton D.00-00-192225-12-1944
Aubrey, Gordon K.  
Aubrey, Richard A.  
Auer, Conrad P.  
Austin, Bernard Lige15-12-190221-09-1979more
Austin, James B.  
Auvil, Daniel M., Jr.  
Axline, Sherman Eugene20-07-192520-09-1944more
Axsom, George H.29-10-192012-06-1984
Ayers John E. 19-02-1944

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