Soldier’s Medal awarded to Major Colin L. Powell
date: label: Date
content: December 1968
name: label: Issued by
content: United States Army, American, founded 1775
label: Received by
content: General Colin L. Powell, American, 1937 - 2021
label: Subject of
content: United States Armed Forces, American, founded 1775
label: Subject of
content: United States Department of Defense
notes: label: Caption
content: Major Colin Powell was awarded the Soldier's Medal for heroism in the Republic of Vietnam. On 16 November 1968, Major Powell survived a helicopter crash. Despite being injured in the crash, he repeatedly returned to the burning helicopter to rescue others. For his actions, he was awarded the Soldier's Medal a month later in December 1968.
label: Description
content: One (1) Soldier’s Medal awarded to General Colin L. Powell. This octagonal bronze medal is suspended by a double-sided blue silk ribbon featuring thirteen (13) red-and-white stripes and has engraved depictions on both the front and obverse sides. On the front is an American eagle standing on fasces with outspread wings raised. On either side of the eagle are six (6) (left) and seven (7) stars (right). On the obverse is a “US” striped shield with laurel and oak on either side. The words “SOLDIER’S MEDAL / FOR VALOR” are inscribed across the upper and bottom sides. At the base in a blank panel for engraving the medal recipient’s name.
place: label: Place used
content: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Government
label: Topic
content: Military
label: Topic
content: Vietnam War, 1961-1975
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Awards, Medals, and Insignia
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Alma J. Powell
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: A2022.101.1.57
objectType: label: Type
content: medals
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No known copyright restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: bronze and silk (fiber)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 3 × 1 3/8 × 1 9/16 in. (7.6 × 3.5 × 4 cm)