The Washington times., 1919-05-06
ALL SERVICE
MEN TO GET
WARMEDAL
Army and Marine Corps Have
Already Agreed to Adopt
Decoration.

Everyone who served in the Ameri-
can army. navy or marine corps be-
tween April 6, 1917, and November IL,
1918, and whose service was honor
able. will be entitled to a war service
medal.
The War Department has. already
decided on a medal. now being de-
signed by the Fine Arts Commission,
and the marine corps has agreed to
adopt the same decoration. No def
mite action has been taken by the
Navy Department, but II is presumed
that it. too, will adopt the Victory
medal
The medal will be the same for
every one, whether he served over
seas or not, but clasps will be given
for engagements in which the wearer
participated, and also for any foreign
service during the war. These clasps
will be worn on the ribbon of the
medal, in the same manner as the va
rious clasps are attached to the
Sampson medal OF the navy.
Pending the issue Of the medals
and army officers want it empha-
sized that they won't be ready for
some time, and that it is useless to
apply for them now-the War De-
partment has authorized the wearing
Of service ribbon: provided the rib
bons can be obtained, which, thus
far. has been impossible.
The ribbon is Of the usual size. with
the design OF a double rainbow, the
rainbows placed in juxtaposition and
50 arranged that the red of each
meets in the center. with the other
cclors OF the spectrum blending out
from il.
On the ribbon a bronze star, three
sixteenths of an inch in diameter.
may be worn for every battle clasp
to which the owner is entitled. and
for every citation, other than those
justifying a medal of honor. a distin-
guished service cross or a distin
guished service medal, a silver star
" the same size.
Battle clasps will be issued for
ach of the following major opera
ions: Somme defensive, March 81
April 6. 1918; LyS. April 9 to %,
1918; Aisne, on the Chemin des
DANES and northeast of Rheims. May
= to June ). 1918; Montdidier-EOyon
Iunc 0 to Is. 1918; Champagne
Marine. July Is to Is. 1918; Aisne-
hdl july 10 u AuB NSN u ASAcE
iOmme offensive, August s to Novem-
per II. 1918: Disc Aisne. August IS to
November IL. 1918; Yprcs-Lys, Au-
gust 10 to November II, 1918: st.
Nihiel, September IL to IS, 1918;
Neuse-Argonne. September 20 to No
yembcr IL, 1918; Vittorio-VenetO, Oc-
-ober 81 to November A.. 1915.
In addition to this clasps will be
.warded to all officers and men who
served overseas. not entitled to any
II the clasps mentioned. for service in
England. France or Italy between
April 8, 1917, and November IL, 1918,
md for any service at all in Siberia
" European Russia.
The design of the medal has not
yet been completed, but it has been
decided to have a corresponding
series for all of the allied countries.
That is, one side of all medals will
be the same. with some sign to denote
all the allies. while the other side
will be the individual design, of the
country issuing it.
None of the military equipment
houses have put any of the campaign
ribbons out yet. and the only seen. in
Washington thus far was one worr
by a British officer. evidently made
to his order.
The War Department is face to face
with a gigantic task when it begins
the distribution of the medals, OF
which thereIl have to be a consider
able more than four million, and !.
is anticipated that arrangements will
have to be made to give them out in
much the same way as the Victory
buttons will be handled--througn
supply officers in every potion of the
country.
While it is anticipated ~ Some that
the issuance of the medal would
mean the doing away with the gold
and blue overseas Cheyrons no action
has yet been taken. and War Depart
ment officials announced today that
the ChevrOns would probably continue
to be worn until peace is signed.