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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
Baade, Paul William16-04-188909-10-1959more
Babbitt, Worth B.  
Babcock, George E.  
Babonneau, René Louis Pierre18-06-190420-11-1963more
Bachenheimer, Theodore Herman "Ted"23-04-192322-10-1944more
Bacile, Joseph  more
Bahlau, Fredrick A.  more
Bahr, Earl Andrew  
Bailey, Donovan Jarrett "Dink"  
Bailey, Jack McKinney11-03-192322-11-1993
Bailey, Kenneth Dillon21-10-191027-09-1942
Bailey, Melvyn Evans05-12-191325-11-1944more
Baird, Burns T.20-08-192131-07-1995
Baker, Addison Earl01-01-190701-08-1943
Baker, John C.  
Baker, Robert E.  
Baker, Russell A.  
Baker, Warren H.  
Baker, Wilder DuPuy22-07-189010-11-1975
Balaban, Robert E. 20-11-1944
Baldwin, Leon E. 27-09-1944
Balkom, van, Adrianus Arnold10-06-191403-01-1951
Ball, Iddo W.05-05-1915 
Ball, Lester07-07-192229-04-2008more
Ballou, William Edward28-04-191115-03-1943
Bangsboll, Leif21-07-191920-11-2001
Banka, Casimir P.  
Banks, William S. M., Jr.  
Barber, Henry Anson, III14-03-192206-08-2013
Barber, Hugh Temple, Jr.28-09-191607-02-1975
Barber, Rex T.06-05-191726-07-2001
Barbour, Alexander  
Barbour, Bill  
Barbour, Frederick T.  
Barbour, Samuel Llewellyn (Jr.) 13-02-1945
Bare, Walter E., Jr.  
Barfoot, Van Thomas15-06-191902-03-2012more
Barkley, Joseph L.  
Barksdale, Hamlett Jr.30-12-190826-08-1979more
Barnes, Vern E.  
Barnett, Charles Lynn 12-04-1945
Barnhardt, Charles E.  
Barnum, Winford Price16-09-191703-01-2004
Barr, Elvin L. 30-01-1945
Barras, Elton J.  
Barrett, Martin F.  
Barron, Frank E., Jr.  
Barten, George A.  
Bartkiewics, Stanley Francis 02-03-1945
Bartley, Paul D.  
Barton, Claude D.  
Barton, Raymond Oscar "Tubby"22-08-189009-02-1963
Bartucci, John A.  
Bartz, Charles A. 31-10-1944
Bartz, Richard Warren  
Basa, César Fernando00-00-191512-12-1941
Basil, Albert Edward "Joe" 02-02-1992
Bass, Harry Brinkley04-07-191620-08-1944
Bass, Hubert S.  
Bates, James M.  
Bates, Milton E.  
Bates, Wesley C.  
Bates, William C.  
Bauche, Jacques, André, Gaston26-07-191412-06-1982more
Bauer, Edward G. (US Army)  
Bauer, Harry Frederick (USN)17-07-190405-09-1942
Baugh, Bernard F. 06-08-1944
Baughman, Daniel Sparks Jr.19-08-191612-01-1945
Baum, Abraham Jasper "Abe"29-03-192103-03-2013
Baumgaertner, Carl J.27-01-192416-08-2019more
Bazar, James O.  
Beach, Edward Latimer, Jr. "Ned"20-04-191801-12-2002
Beam, Harlan C.27-08-191910-10-2010more
Bean, Harry  
Bear, Frederick T.  
Beard, Clarkson  
Beard, Felix  
Beard, Warren E.  
Beaton, Edward J.00-00-192002-02-1945
Beaty, Clarence W.  
Beaty, William F.  
Beaulieu, Joseph O. V. 15-07-1944
Beaulieu, Maurice Edward  
Beaver, Chester M.  
Beaver, Walter S.  
Becasen, Danio  
Beck, Alva E.  
Beck, James J.  
Becton, Frederick Julian15-05-190824-12-1995more
Beddoe, Ira G.   
Beechinor, Leonard H.  
Beele, George F.  
Beeman, William E.00-09-189305-04-1943
Behe, Robert V.  
Behler, Curtis F. 23-12-1944
Beightler, Robert Sprague21-03-189212-02-1978
Belanger, Raymond J.  
Belew, Glen C.  
Bell, Bernard Pious29-12-191108-01-1971
Bell, Raymond E.  
Bell, Theodore S.  
Bellmore, Dennis D. 26-01-1945
Belrose, Albert00-00-1916 
Bemis, Amos J.  
Bendure, William B.  
Benita, Benjamin Sr. 04-03-1996
Benitez, Rafael Celestino09-03-191706-03-1999
Benn, William Charles 22-05-2002more
Bennett, Arthur S.  
Bennett, Clanton T.   
Bennett, Edward A.11-02-192002-05-1983more
Bennett, Maurice Hogue  
Bennett, Melvin P.  
Bennett, Ralph S.  
Benson, Roy Stanley "Ensign"07-12-190607-02-1995
Benson, William C.  
Bentis, James 23-11-1944
Bentley, Clarence   
Bergamin, Alfred02-07-190823-07-1974more
Bergefurt, Johannes Petrus11-10-192527-02-2015
Berger, Spencer S.27-12-191316-07-2007
Bergman, Hyman "Hank"12-03-191901-06-2010more
Bergmann, Charles Henry  
Berkowitz, William A. 13-09-1944
Bermingham, James R.  
Bernard, Lyle W.  
Bernstein, Stanley  
Berquist, Kenneth R.  
Berrian, Howard A. 13-04-2010
Berry, James D. "Red"  
Berry, John T.  
Berthiaume, Earl Morin  
Bertman, Lloyd M.  
Bertonneau, George M.  
Beser, Jacob15-05-192116-06-1992
Betts, Jesse Thurmond08-06-192229-03-1993
Beyer, Sylvester M.  
Bias, Elbert L.  
Bickham, James F., Jr.  
Bicknell, Robert A.  
Bienvenue, Earl F.  
Biggers, Marcus K.  
Biggs, Aubrey A. 04-09-1944
Bigler, John M. 09-04-1945
Bigus, Kenneth Eli03-04-192316-03-2010
Biles, Carley W.  
Billett, Omar R. 05-04-1945
Billingsley, Edward Baxter  
Bineau, Robert11-01-191418-11-2011more
Binford, Thomas Howell25-08-189627-08-1973
Birdsong, William H., Jr.  
Birks, Hammond Davies05-02-189630-01-1973
Birt, Timothy L.  
Bisch, Joseph J.  
Bischoff, Eric E.  
Bischoff, John C.  
Bishop, Everett L.  
Bishop, Francis Nathaniel Holmes07-03-192326-01-1968more
Bishop, John H.  
Bissaillon, Edmond A. 12-04-1945
Black, Ivan D.15-02-191820-05-1944
Black, Robert A., Jr. 05-02-1946
Black, Wilburt E.  
Blackburn, Byron T.  
Blackmar, Charles B.   
Blackmer, Benjamin  
Blackwell, J. W.   
Blair, Donald Antonio09-09-191916-09-2011
Blair, Joe A.13-06-192302-06-1944
Blair, Samuel Sylvester "Buddy" 04-10-1944
Blake, Clarence  
Blakely, Edward Noe17-05-191224-10-1944
Blakely, Larry A.  
Blakeslee, Donald James Matthew "Don"11-09-191703-09-2008more
Blanchard, George S.  
Blanchard, René Joseph10-09-192014-03-1996more
Blankenship, Robert C.13-04-192113-08-1970more
Blanks, Richard P. "Paige"  
Blasingame, Franklin R.  
Blassie, Michael Joseph04-04-194811-05-1972
Blazina, Lawrence F. 17-09-1944
Blechle, Francis J.28-03-192229-05-2008
Blehm, Harold L.  
Bloom, William E.  
Bloyd, Gerald H. 31-05-1942
Boatsman, Alford C.  
Bobkowski, John L.  
Boddy, Robert M.  
Boeglin, Richard Walter04-12-191707-04-1945
Boet, x  
Boggs, Dolan W.  
Boggs, James P.  
Bohman, George M., Jr. 21-04-1945
Boisclair, Joseph C. I.07-09-192431-07-1944
Boisselle, Henry J.  
Boland, James W. 20-01-1943
Bolger, Francis J.  
Bolling, Alexander Russell "Bud" Jr.11-09-192206-10-2011more
Bolling, Alexander Russell Sr.28-08-189504-06-1964more
Bolte, Charles Lawrence08-05-189511-02-1989more
Bolton, Billy L. 14-07-1943
Bomberger, Walter A. 02-01-1945
Bond, George C.  
Bondi, Dominick J.  
Bong, Richard Ira24-09-192006-08-1945more
Bonin, Robert Alexander (USN)27-03-191300-04-1944
Bonito, Paul F.  
Bonney, Richard H.  
Bontier, Albert Marion14-10-191303-10-1944more
Boom, William Claypool24-01-192201-04-1945
Boone, Carl W.  
Booras, John A.  
Borich, John  
Borneman, John K.17-11-189810-02-1972more
Borton, Don A.  
Bosch, Edward J., Jr.20-01-192031-01-1997
Boshears, James Manual, Sr.20-12-191701-11-1991
Boswell, Frank J.  
Boswell, Louis K.  
Bothwell, Lyman D.05-06-190424-04-1997
Bottari, Oreste F.  
Bottcher, Herman John F.00-07-190931-12-1944more
Bottomly, Raymond Victor Jr.  
Bouck, Lyle Joseph, Jr.17-12-192302-12-2016more
Boughton, Forrest E.   
Boulay, Harvey P.  
Bourdo, Henry A.  
Bourgoin, Pierre21-04-191223-06-1966more
Bowden, Emmett  
Bowdoin, George E.  
Bowen, Clarence J.  
Bowers, Earle C., Jr.00-00-191827-09-1944
Bowles, Alfred  
Bowman, Conrad Keith  
Bowman, Jack 02-09-1943
Bowman, James William "Chub"16-06-191414-11-1944
Bowsky, Willard G.00-00-190727-11-1944
Boyce, Gregory J.  
Boyd, Randall Thomas, Jr24-09-191827-10-2001
Boyd, Tillman E.27-12-190424-11-1992more
Boydstun, William J. 22-01-1945
Boyea, Gerald E.  
Boyle, Charles Joseph  
Boyle, Clair John16-04-192002-12-1998
Boyle, William C.  
Bracknell, Artee 24-10-1944
Bradford, Charles H.  
Bradford, Harold E.  
Bradford, William Sloan21-09-190201-06-1961
Bradley, Joseph Sladen09-06-190017-01-1961
Bradley, Omar Nelson12-02-189308-04-1981more
Brady, James W.  
Brand, Lawrence Neville13-08-192016-04-1992
Brand, Roscoe C.  
Brandt, Charles A. 'Charley'00-00-192125-08-1945
Brannon, Russell E. 13-10-1944
Brasel, Robert L.  
Braun, Gustav Joseph, Jr.15-01-189517-03-1945more
Braun, Merrit G.  
Bray, Arnold Rex02-06-194827-04-1969more
Breakenridge, Hugh Wallace09-07-191927-02-1945
Breard, Reneau G.  
Brennick, Edward J.00-00-191807-05-2001
Brentnall, Thomas E.  
Brereton, Lewis Hyde21-06-189001-08-1967more
Brett, George Howard07-02-188602-12-1963more
Brett, Thomas M.  
Breyer, Samuel A.  
Bright, Murl19-02-191904-04-2008
Brinkerhoff, Robert E.  
Britt, Maurice Lee "Footsie"29-06-191926-11-1995more
Broadway, Ealsby Earl23-06-192208-05-2000
Brock, Raymond A.  
Brockman, William Herman "Bill" (Jr.)18-11-190402-02-1979
Broedlow, Rudolph W.  
Broffman, Joseph S.  
Brook, Charles Bates26-09-190607-10-1969
Brooking, George R. “Bob”  
Brooks, Edward Hale "Ted"25-04-189310-10-1978more
Brooks, Gerald W.  
Brotherton, William E.  
Brott, Adelbert H. 15-12-1944
Brown, Albert  
Brown, Bobbie Evan, Jr.02-09-190308-11-1971more
Brown, Cecil H.  
Brown, Charles H.  more
Brown, Charles W.  
Brown, Courtney P.02-11-190402-04-2004
Brown, Frank K.  
Brown, Fred H. 10-04-1945
Brown, Kenneth M.  
Brown, Nolton L.  
Brown, Paul A.  
Brown, Paul Armstrong00-00-191611-10-1944more
Browning, Curtis D.  
Browning, James Moody "Jim"00-00-192014-01-1945
Browning, Miles Rutherford10-04-189729-09-1954
Brunel, André07-12-191228-05-1981more
Brunelli, Austin Roger20-08-190723-09-1989
Brunner, Frederick J. 20-03-1945
Bruns, Paul E.  
Brush, Rapp  
Bryan, Charles B.05-04-191900-00-2003
Bryant, Buford M.  
Bryant, Kenneth A.  
Buchanan, Earl W. "Buck"  
Buchanan, John O.  
Buchman, Arthur J.  
Buckelew, Lee R.  
Buckley, Frank Pearse "Buck"05-09-192306-10-1944
Buckman, Frederick F.08-09-191402-08-1991
Buerkle, Elmer Charles02-03-190206-07-1943
Buerle, Emil (US Army)  
Buffone, Harry J.  
Bulkeley, John Duncan19-08-191106-04-1996more
Bullard, Afton B.  
Buller, Wesley Sander23-09-192409-10-2002
Bullington, James C.  
Bunch, James Burton15-12-191810-03-1995
Buntyn, James W. T. 13-04-1945
Buracker, William Houck25-07-189706-03-1977
Burgess, Henry A.  
Burke, Arleigh Albert "31-Knot Burke"19-10-190101-01-1996more
Burke, Edmund Michael08-06-191605-02-1987more
Burke, Francis T.  
Burke, Robert C.  
Burke, Thomas J. 20-09-1944
Burke, Timothy J.  
Burket, Ivan J.   
Burnett, Howard Reason05-06-191604-08-1944
Burnett, Leroy  
Burney, Harold  
Burns, Edward J.  
Burris, T. Moffatt  
Burritt, Harry25-11-192313-04-1982
Burrowes, Thomas17-10-190429-06-1974
Burrows, Albert Collins23-09-190524-02-1984
Burton, James G.  
Burton, Robert C.  
Bussa, George Stanley 20-11-1943
Butcher, John L.  
Butler, George K.22-04-191323-09-1974
Butler, Harmon Walter23-06-192306-06-1995
Butler, James D. 03-02-1945
Butler, Otho 25-07-1943
Buxton, Cleo F.  
Byers, Clovis Ethelbert05-11-189913-12-1973more
Byers, Millard S.  
Byrne, John D.  

Sources