# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 40/65th Congress/3rd Session/Chapter 14

​ February 4, 1919.[H.R. 12194.] [Public, No 253.]
Chap. 14.—An Act To provide for the award of medals of honor, distinguished service medals, and Navy crosses, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Medals of honor, etc., Navy.President of the United States be, and is hereby, authorized to present, in the name of Congress, a medal of honor to any person who while in the naval service of the United States, shall, in action involving actual Congressional medal of honor for conspicuous gallantry, etc., in actual conflict.conflict with the enemy, distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty and without detriment to the mission of his command or the command to which attached.
Distinguished-service medal.Sec. 2. That the President be, and he hereby is, further authorized to present, but not in the name of Congress, a distinguished-service medal of appropriate Awarded for exceptionally meritorious service in the Navy since April 6, 1917.design and a ribbon, together with a rosette or other device to be worn in lieu thereof, to any person who while in the naval service of the United States, since the sixth day of April, nineteen hundred and seventeen, has distinguished, or who hereafter shall distinguish, himself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility.
Navy Cross.Sec. 3. That the President be, and he hereby is, further authorized to present, but not Awarded for extraordinary heroism in naval service since April 6, 1917.in the name of Congress, a Navy cross of appropriate design and a ribbon, together with a rosette or other device to be worn in lieu thereof, to any person who, while in the naval service of the United States, since the sixth day of April, nineteen hundred and seventeen, has distinguished, or who shall hereafter distinguish, himself by extraordinary heroism or distinguished service in the line of his profession, such heroism or service not being sufficient to justify the award of a medal of honor or a distinguished-service medal.
Additional pay to enlisted or enrolled men for each award.Sec. 4. That each enlisted or enrolled person of the naval service to whom is awarded a medal of honor, distinguished-service medal or a Navy cross shall, for each award be entitled to additional pay at the rate of $2 per month from the date of the distinguished act or service on which the award is based, and each bar, Further pay for each bar issued subsequent award.or other suitable emblem or insignia, in lieu of a medal of honor, distinguished-service medal, or Navy cross, as hereinafter provided for, shall entitle him to further additional pay at the rate of $2 per month from the date of the Continued during active service.distinguished act or service for which the bar is awarded, and such additional pay shall continue throughout his active service, whether such service shall or shall not be continuous.
Only one issue to a person.Sec. 5. That no more than one medal of honor or one distinguished- service medal or one Navy cross shall be issued to any one person; but for each succeeding deed or service sufficient to Bars awarded for subsequent deed.justify the award of a medal of honor or a distinguished—service medal or Navy cross, respectively, the President may award a suitable bar, or other suitable emblem or insignia, to be worn with the decoration and the corresponding rosette or other device.
Payment of expenses.Sec. 6. That the Secretary of the Navy is hereby authorized to expend from the appropriation "Pay of the Navy" of the Navy Department so much as may be necessary to defray the cost of the medals of honor, distinguished-service medals, and Navy crosses, and bars, emblems, or insignia herein provided for, and so much as may ​ be necessary to replace any medals, crosses, bars, emblems, or insignia as are herein or may heretofore have been provided for: Proviso.Provided, That such replacement shall be made only in those cases where the Replacement of lost, etc., honor devicemedal of honor, distinguished-service medal, or Navy cross, or bar, emblem, or insignia presented under the provisions of this or any other Act shall have been lost, destroyed, or rendered unfit for use without fault or neglect on the part of the person to whom it was awarded, and shall be made without charge therefor.
Time limit for issuingSec. 7. That, except as otherwise prescribed herein, no medal of honor, distinguished-service medal, Navy cross, or bar or other suitable emblem or insignia in lieu of either of said medals or of said cross, shall be issue to any person after more than five years from the date of the act or service justifying the award thereof,Statement of service, etc., required. nor unless a specific statement or report distinctly setting forth the act or distinguished service and suggesting or recommending official recognition thereof shall have been made by his naval superior through official channels at the time of the act or service or within three years thereafter.
Award in case of deathSec. 8. That in case an individual who shall distinguish himself dies before the making of the award to which he may be entitled the award may nevertheless be made and the medal or cross or the bar or other emblem or insignia presented within five years from the date of the act or service justifying the award thereof to such representative of the deceased as the PresidentProviso may designate: Provided, That no medal or cross or no bar or other emblem or insigniaSubsequent entirely honorable service required. shall be awarded or presented to any individual or to the representative of any individual whose entire service subsequent to the time he distinguished himself shall not have been honorable:Awards to persons now in service, which have been recommended. Provided further, That in cases of persons now in the naval service for whom the award of the medal of honor has been recommended in full compliance with then existing regulations, but on account of services which, though insufficient fully to justify the award of the medal of honor, appears to have been such as to justify the award of the distinguished-service medal or Navy cross hereinbefore provided for, such cases may be considered and acted upon under the provisions of this Act authorizing the award of the distinguished-service medal and Navy cross notwithstanding that said services may have been rendered more than five years before said cases shall have been considered asOfficial records of Department to govern. authorized by this proviso, but all consideration or any action upon any of said cases shall be based exclusively upon official records now on file in the Navy Department.
Flag officers, etc., may award Navy cross.Sec. 9. That the President be, and he hereby is, authorized to delegate, under such conditions, regulations, and limitations as he shall prescribe, to flag officers who are commanders in chief or commanding on important independent duty the power conferred upon him by this Act to award the Navy cross;Regulations, etc. and he is further authorized to make from time to time any and all rules, regulations, and orders which he shall deem necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this Act and to execute the full purpose and intention thereof.
Approved, February 4, 1919.