SILVER STAR (SS)
BACKGROUND:
a. The Citation Star was established as a result
of an Act of Congress on July 9, 1918 (65th
Congress, Sess II, Chapter 143, page 873) and was
promulgated in War Department Bulletin No. 43 dated
1918. It was retroactive to include those cited for
gallantry in action in previous campaigns back to
the Spanish-American War. Per letter from General
Jervey, Office of the Chief of Staff, dated February
26, 1926, is quoted in part: The Secretary of War
directs as follows - The following is the amended
version of paragraph 187 of Army Regulation: "No
more than one Medal of Honor or one Distinguished
Service Cross or one Distinguished Service Medal
shall be issued to any one person, but for each
succeeding or act sufficient to justify the award of
a Medal of Honor or Distinguished Service Cross or
Distinguished Service Medal, respectively, a bronze
oak leaf cluster, shall be issued in lieu thereof;
and for each citation of an officer or enlisted man
for gallantry in action, published in orders from
headquarters of a force commanded by a general
officer, not warranting the issue of a Medal of
Honor, Distinguished Service Cross or Distinguished
Service Medal, he shall wear a silver star, 3/16
inch in diameter, as prescribed in Uniform
Regulations." Army Regulation 600-40, paragraph 48,
September 27, 1921, specified that the Citation Star
would be worn above the clasp, on the ribbon of the
service medal for the campaign for service in which
the citations were given.
b. On July 19, 1932, the Secretary of War
approved the Silver Star medal to replace the
Citation Star. This design placed the Citation Star
on a bronze pendant suspended from the ribbon
design. The star was no longer attached to a service
or campaign ribbon.
c. Authorization for the Silver Star was placed
into law by an Act of Congress for the Navy on
August 7, 1942 and an Act of Congress for the Army
on December 15, 1942. The primary reason for
congressional authorization was the desire to award
the medal to civilians as well as the Army. The
current statutory authorization for the Silver Star
Medal is Title 10, United States Code, Section 3746.
d. Order of precedence and wear of decorations is
contained in Army Regulation 670-1. Policy for
awards, approving authority, supply, and issue of
decorations is contained in Army Regulation
600-8-22.
CRITERIA:
The Silver Star is awarded to a person who, while
serving in any capacity with the U.S. Military, 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 of a lesser degree than that required for
award of the Distinguished Service Cross, must
nevertheless have been performed with marked
distinction. Soldiers who received a citation for
gallantry in action during World War I may apply to
have the citation converted to the Silver Star
Medal.
DESCRIPTION:
A gold star, 1 ½ inches in circumscribing
diameter with a laurel wreath encircling rays from
the center and a 3/16 inch diameter silver star
superimposed in the center. The pendant is suspended
from a rectangular shaped metal loop with rounded
corners. The reverse has the inscription "FOR
GALLANTRY IN ACTION". The ribbon is 1 3/8 inches (35
mm) wide and consists of the following stripes: 7/32
inch (6 mm) Old Glory red (center stripe);
proceeding outward in pairs 7/32 inch (6 mm) white;
7/32 inch (6 mm) ultramarine blue; 3/64 inch (1 mm)
white; and 3/32 inch (2 mm) ultramarine blue.