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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MAY 10, 1976

ARMY, NAVY AND MARINE CORPS BICENTENNIAL MEDALS

ADDED TO MINT'S NATIONAL MEDALS LIST

The Bureau of the Mint joins the Secretary of the Army, Martin R.
Hoffman, and the secretary of the Navy, J. William Middendorf II, in
announcing that national medals in commemoration of the Bicentennial of
the United States Army, the United States Navy and the United States
Marine Corps have been added to the Mint's National Historical Medals
list and are available for sale to the public.

The striking of the three medals by the U.S. Mint was authorized by
Public Law 94-117 dated October 17, 1975.

The obverse and reverse designs for the U.S. Army medal, which
commemorates the 200th anniversary of the Army established June 14,
1775, were provided by the Institute of Heraldry, U.S. Army.

The obverse design depicts a soldier of the 1770s and one of the modern
era. The reverse design consists of the interior portion of the
Department of the Army plaque design, based on the Department of the
Army seal that has been in continuous use since the 1770s. The obverse
design was executed by Matthew Peloso and the reverse by Philip E.
Fowler, both on the engraving staff at the Philadelphia Mint.

The designs for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps medals, in
commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Navy on October 13, 1975,
and the Marine Corps on November 10, 1975, were provided by the noted
California artist and sculptor Hal Reed.

The sloop ALFRED, flagship of the First American Fleet serving in the
Continental Navy from 1775 to 1778, is depicted on the obverse of the
Navy medal together with the symbolic American eagle alight upon the
anchor and the stars and stripes. The reverse shows the modern nuclear
Navy, air, surface and submarine configuration, emanating from the
nucleus of the hydrogen atom. The obverse design was executed by Edgar
Z. Steever and the reverse by Matthew Peloso, both of the Philadelphia
Mint.

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The design of the U.S. Marine Corps medal commemorates the 200 year
history of the Corps, from Continental marine of 1775 to the modern
marine of today. The obverse depicts the first major action of the
Continental marines, the landing at New Providence in the Bahamas on
March 3, 1776. The design shows the marines of the landing occupying
Fort Montagu following the landing. In addition, the emblem of the
corps, the anchor and globe, are superimposed on the scene. The reverse
depicts the continuing role of the modern marine in action, still
essentially a rifleman, maintaining those traditions of readiness,
esprit de corps and loyality that have been the hallmark of the Marine
Corps since 1775. S. Joseph Winter of the Philadelphia Mint executed
both the obverse and reverse of the Marine Corps Bicentennial medal.

Frank Gasparro, Chief Engraver-Sculptor of the United States Mint,
Philadelphia, Pa., supervised the execution of the designs of all three
medals.

On the National Historical Medals List, the U.S. Army Bicentennial medal
is the item No. 429; the U.S. Navy Bicentennial medal is item No. 534,
and the U.S. Marine Corps Bicentennial medal is item No. 535.

The bronze medals are 3″ in diameter and may be purchased
over-the-counter at the Main Treasury Building, Washington, D.C.; the
Philadelphia Mint, the Denver Mint and the Old Mint in San Francisco, at
\$6.00 each.

They are also available by mail order at \$6.25 each from:

> The Bureau of the Mint
>
> 55 Mint Street
>
> San Francisco, California 94175

The remittance must accompany the mail order. Checks or money orders
should be made payable to the Bureau of the Mint. Please do not send
cash.

The Bureau of the Mint gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the
Departments of the Army and the Navy and the Bicentennial Offices of the
Army, Navy and Marine Corps in developing these commemorative medals.

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