United States Antarctic Expedition Medal

Award

United States Antarctic Expedition Medal
Obverse
Type	Medal in Gold, Silver, and Bronze
Awarded for	Valuable services to the Nation in the field of polar exploration and science
Presented by	Department of the Navy
Eligibility	Members of U.S. Antarctic Expedition (1939–1941)
Status	Obsolete; replaced by Antarctica Service Medal
Established	September 24, 1945

Ribbon bar

Precedence
Next (higher)	World War II Victory Medal
Next (lower)	Navy Occupation Service Medal
Related	Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal Antarctica Service Medal

The United States Antarctic Expedition Medal is a combined military-civilian award that was authorized by the United States Congress on September 24, 1945 under Public Law 185 of the 79th Congress (59 Stat. 536). The award recognizes members of the United States Antarctic Expedition of 1939–1941. There were gold, silver, and bronze versions. It is unclear if the gold version is considered a Congressional Gold Medal, as was the case with the 1st Byrd expedition.

Background

The statute awarding the medal reads as follows:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Navy is authorized and directed to cause to be made at the United States mint such number of gold, silver, and bronze medals of appropriate design as he may deem appropriate and necessary, to be presented to members of the United States Antarctic Expedition of 1939–1941, in recognition of their valuable services to the Nation in the field of polar exploration and science.

In 1935 Congress passed a law (Pub. L. 74–43) allowing the Secretary of the Navy to authorize—at his discretion—the wearing of commemorative or other special awards on Navy or Marine Corps uniforms, in military sized form.

The first United States Antarctic Expedition Medal (gold version) was presented to Admiral Richard E. Byrd.

As the 1st and 2nd Byrd Expedition medals, and the United States Antarctic Expedition medal were only authorized to be awarded to a select number of people, in 1960 the Antarctica Service Medal was created, which can be awarded generally.

Precedence and wear

As recently as 1998 the Antarctic Expedition Medal still appeared in U.S. Navy uniform regulations precedence charts, after the WW II Victory Medal, and before the Navy Occupation Service Medal. In the 1953 Navy Awards Manual the Antarctic Expedition Medal was classified as a commemorative medal and ranked above all campaign service medals but below decorations, unit awards and all other commemorative medals.

Notable recipients

Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd, USN (Retired)
Vice Admiral Richard H. Cruzen, USN
Rear Admiral George J. Dufek, USN
Dr. Paul A. Siple, Ph.D.
J. Glenn Dyer - Cadastral Engineer

References

^ "Medals and Awards Manual COMDTINST M1650.25D" (PDF). Directives and Publications Division website. May 2008. pp. 22–3. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
United States Antarctic Expedition Medal (1939-1941)
"Congressional Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals awarded to the members of Rear Admiral Richard Byrd's first Antarctic expedition". artandhistory.house.gov. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
United States Statutes at Large . Vol. 49. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. 1936. p. 162 – via Wikisource.
"United States Navy Uniform Regulations, NAVPERS 15665I Chapt. 5, Sect. 3, Article 5308" (PDF). United States Navy. January 1998. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
"Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, NavPers 15,790" (PDF). United States Navy. 1953. Retrieved 17 February 2016.

External links

Office of the Historian. "Congressional Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals Awarded to Byrd's First Antarctic Expedition". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved 6 September 2016.

v t e United States campaign, expeditionary, and service medals
1862–1906	Civil War Campaign Medal Indian Campaign Medal Dewey Medal Sampson Medal Cardenas Medal of Honor West Indies Campaign Medal Spanish Campaign Medal Spanish War Service Medal Army of Cuban Occupation Medal Army of Puerto Rican Occupation Medal Philippine Campaign Medal Philippine Congressional Medal
1905–1921	China Campaign Medal Navy Cuban Pacification Medal Navy Nicaraguan Campaign Medal Haitian Campaign Medal Dominican Campaign Medal
1911–1941	Mexican Service Medal Mexican Border Service Medal World War I Victory Medal Texas Cavalry Medal Army of Occupation of Germany Medal
1936–1945	Navy Expeditionary Medal Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal Haitian Campaign Medal NC-4 Medal Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal Yangtze Service Medal Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition Medal United States Antarctic Expedition Medal
1942–1949	China Service Medal American Defense Service Medal Women's Army Corps Service Medal American Campaign Medal European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal (Navy) Medal for Humane Action
1953–1999	National Defense Service Medal Korean Service Medal Antarctica Service Medal Coast Guard Arctic Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon Kosovo Campaign Medal Armed Forces Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
2003–present	Afghanistan Campaign Medal Iraq Campaign Medal Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Korea Defense Service Medal Air and Space Campaign Medal Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal Remote Combat Effects Campaign Medal

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