On this page I have listed the awards received by the men
who fought in the Pacific Theater in World War II. 

Please note:  This list is not all-inclusive and only covers the
Pacific Theater of Operations.

Congressional Medal of Honor

The first formal system for rewarding acts of individual gallantry by American soldiers was established by George Washington on August 7, 1782, when he created the Badge of Military Merit, designed to recognize "any singularly meritorious action."

Between 1919 and 1942, the Navy issued two separate versions of the Medal of Honor, one for non-combat bravery and the other for combat-related acts. Official accounts vary, but presumably the combat Medal of Honor was known as the "Tiffany Cross", after the company that manufactured the medal. "The Tiffany" was first issued in 1919, but was rare and unpopular, partly because it was presented both for combat and non-combat events. As a result, in 1942 the United States Navy reverted to a single Medal of Honor, awarded only for heroism.

Since the beginning of World War II, the medal has been awarded for extreme bravery beyond the call of duty while engaged in action against an enemy. Arising from these criteria, approximately 60% of the medals earned during and after World War II have been awarded posthumously.

Navy Cross

The Navy Cross is the second highest medal that can be awarded by the Department of the Navy and the second highest award given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard but could be awarded to all branches of United States military. It was established by Act of Congress (Pub.L. 65-253) and approved on February 4, 1919. The Navy Cross is equivalent to the Distinguished Service Cross (Army) and the Air Force Cross.

Originally the Navy Cross was the Navy's third-highest decoration, after the Medal of Honor and the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. In August 1942 Congress revised the precedence, making the Navy Cross senior to the Distinguished Service Medal. Since that time the Navy Cross has been worn after the Medal of Honor and before all other decorations.

Navy Distinguished Service Medal

The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919. The decoration the Navy and Marine Corps equivalent to the Army Distinguished Service Medal and the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal. The Navy Distinguished Service Medal was originally senior to the Navy Cross, until August 1943 when the precedence of the two decorations was reversed.

Silver Star

The Silver Star is the successor decoration to the Citation Star which was established by an act of the U.S. Congress on July 9, 1918. On July 19, 1932, the Secretary of War approved the Silver Star Medal to replace the Citation Star. The original Citation Star is incorporated into the center of the Silver Star Medal, and the ribbon for the Silver Star Medal is based closely on the Certificate of Merit Medal.

Authorization for the Silver Star was placed into law by an Act of Congress for the U.S. Navy on August 7, 1942 and an Act of Congress for the U.S. Army on December 15, 1942. The primary reason for congressional authorization was the desire to award the medal to civilians as well as the Army. The current statutory authorization for the Silver Star Medal is Title 10 of the United States Code (Section 3746).

Legion of Merit

An Act of Congress (Public Law 671 - 77th Congress, Chapter 508, 2d Session) on July 20, 1942, established the Legion of Merit and provided that the medal "shall have suitable appurtenances and devices and not more than four degrees, and which the President, under such rules and regulations as he shall prescribe, may award to (a) personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States and of the Government of the Commonwealth Philippines and (b) personnel of the armed forces of friendly foreign nations who, since the proclamation of an emergency by the President on 8 September 1939, shall have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services." The medal was announced in War Department Bulletin No. 40, dated August 5, 1942. Executive Order 9260, dated October 29, 1942, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, established the rules for the Legion of Merit and required the President's approval for the award. However, in 1943, at the request of General George C. Marshall, approval authority for U.S. personnel was delegated to the War Department.

Distinguished Flying Cross

The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in combat in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The decoration may also be given for an act performed prior to that date when the individual has been recommended for, but has not received the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross or Distinguished Service Medal.

The Distinguished Flying Cross, was authorized by an Act of Congress of July 2, 1926, an act amended by Executive Order 7786 on January 8, 1938. It was awarded first to Herbert Dargue, and not Charles Lindbergh as many believe.

Navy and Marine Corps Medal

The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the second highest non-combatant medal awarded by the United States Department of the Navy to members of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. The decoration was established by an act of Congress on August 7, 1942.

The Navy and Marine Corps Medal may be awarded to service members who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or Marine Corps, distinguish themselves by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy. Typically, it is awarded for actions involving the risk of one's own life.

Purple Heart

The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after 5 April 1917 with the U.S. military.

Air Medal

The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States which was established by Executive Order 9158, signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, on May 11, 1942. The Air Medal is retroactive to September 8, 1939.

Combat Action Ribbon

The Combat Action Ribbon (CAR) is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, and which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy (or Colonel in the Marine Corps), have actively participated in ground or surface combat. The Combat Action Ribbon is also awarded to members of the United States Coast Guard when operating under the control of the Navy.

The Combat Action Ribbon was first created in February 1969 with retroactive presentation to 1961-03-01. On 1999-10-05, by Presidential Order of Bill Clinton, the retroactive effective date of the Combat Action Ribbon was changed to 1941-12-07 which was the entry date of the United States of America into the Second World War.

Presidential Unit Citation

The Presidential Unit Citation is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941 (the date of the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the start of American involvement in World War II). The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions so as to set it apart from and above other units participating in the same campaign. The degree of heroism required is the same as that which would warrant award of the Distinguished Service Cross or Navy Cross to an individual.

Navy Unit Commendation

The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944. This commendation is awarded by the Secretary to any ship, aircraft, detachment, or other unit of the United States Navy or Marine Corps which has since 6 December 1941 distinguished itself in action against the enemy with outstanding heroism not sufficient to justify award of the Presidential Unit Citation (United States). It is also awarded for non-combat service, in support of military operations, which was outstanding when compared to other units or organizations performing similar service.

Prisoner of War Medal

The Prisoner of War Medal is a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was authorized by Congress and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1986.

The Prisoner of War Medal may be awarded to any person who was a prisoner of war after April 5, 1917, (the date of the United States entry into World War I). It is awarded to any person who was taken prisoner or held captive while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing Armed Force; or while serving with friendly forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing Armed Force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. Hostages of terrorists, and persons detained by governments in which the U.S. is not actively engaged in armed conflict are not eligible for the medal. The person's conduct, while in captivity, must have been honorable. This medal may be awarded posthumously to the surviving next of kin of the recipient.

Navy Expeditionary Medal

The Navy Expeditionary Medal is an award of the United States Navy which was first created in August 1936 by General Orders of the Department of the Navy. The Navy Expeditionary Medal is awarded to any Navy personnel who have operated in foreign territory to engage in operations, both combat and non-combat, for which no other campaign medal has been awarded.

China Service Medal

The China Service Medal was a military medal awarded to U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel. The medal was instituted on August 23, 1940 and featured a yellow ribbon with narrow red edge stripes. The decoration is similar to the China Campaign Medal, issued in 1901 by the United States Army.

The criteria for awarding the medal consisted of service members who:

Served ashore in China or who were attached to any of the vessels that operated in support of the operations in China between July 7, 1937, and September 7, 1939.
Served ashore in China or were attached to any of the vessels that operated in support of operations in China between September 2, 1945 and April 1, 1957. Military services performed in the Asiatic-Pacific area between September 2, 1945 and March 2, 1946 could be credited for eligibility for the China Service Medal unless the individual was eligible for the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal based on service performed prior to September 2, 1945.

American Defense Service Medal

The American Defense Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created in 1941 by Executive Order of President Franklin Roosevelt.

The purpose of the American Defense Service Medal is to recognize those members of the U.S. military who had served on active duty before America’s entry into the Second World War but during the initial years of the European conflict. The medal is therefore authorized to any military member who performed duty between September 8, 1939 and December 6, 1941.

American Campaign Medal

The American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created in 1942 by order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Originally issued as the “American Theater Ribbon”, the decoration was intended to recognize those service members who had performed duty in the American Theater of Operations during the Second World War.

To be awarded the American Campaign Medal, a service member was required to either perform one year of consecutive duty within the continental borders of the United States, or perform 30 days consecutive/60 non-consecutive days of duty outside the borders of the United States but within the American Theater of Operations. The American Theater was defined as the entirety of the United States to include most of the Atlantic Ocean, a portion of Alaska, and a small portion of the Pacific bordering California and Baja California.

The eligibility dates of the American Campaign Medal were from December 7, 1941 to March 2, 1946. Service stars were authorized to any service member who was engaged in actual combat with Axis forces within the American theater. This primarily applied to those members of the military which had engaged in anti-U-Boat patrols in the Atlantic.

Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal

The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945.

There were twenty one official campaigns of the Pacific Theater, denoted on the service medal by service stars. The arrowhead device is authorized for those campaigns which involved amphibious assaults. The Fleet Marine Force combat operation insignia is also authorized for certain sailors. The flag colors of Japan and the United States are visible in the ribbon.

Credible campaigns for the Pacific Theater are as follows:

- Philippine Islands 7 Dec 41 - 10 May 42
- Burma, 1942 7 Dec 41 - 26 May 42
- Central Pacific 7 Dec 41 - 6 Dec 43
- East Indies 1 Jan 42 - 22 Jul 42
- India-Burma 2 Apr 42 - 28 Jan 45
- Air Offensive, Japan 17 Apr 42 - 2 Sep 45
- Aleutian Islands 3 Jun 42 - 24 Aug 43
- China Defensive 4 Jul 42 - 4 May 45
- Papua 23 Jul 42 - 23 Jan 43
- Guadalcanal 7 Aug 42 - 21 Feb 43
- New Guinea 24 Jan 43 - 31 Dec 44
- Northern Solomons 22 Feb 43 - 21 Nov 44
- Eastern Mandates 7 Dec 43 - 14 Jun 44
- Bismarck Archipelago 15 Dec 43 - 27 Nov 44
- Western Pacific 17 Apr 44 - 2 Sep 45
- Leyte 17 Oct 44 - 1 Jul 45
- Luzon 15 Dec 44 - 4 Jul 45
- Central Burma 29 Jan 45 - 15 Jul 45
- Southern Philippines 27 Feb 45 - 4 Jul 45
- Ryukyus 26 Mar 45 - 2 Jul 45
- China Offensive 5 May 45 - 2 Sep 45

For members of the military who did not receive campaign credit, but still served on active duty in the Pacific Theater, the following “blanket” campaigns are authorized for which the medal is awarded without service stars.

- Antisubmarine 7 Dec 41 - 2 Sep 45
- Ground Combat: 7 Dec 41 - 2 Sep 45
- Air Combat: 7 Dec 41 - 2 Sep 45

The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was first issued as a ribbon in 1941. A full medal was authorized in 1947

World War II Victory Medal

The World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The decoration commemorates military service during the Second World War and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of the Government of the Philippine Islands, who served on active duty, or as a reservist, between December 7, 1941 and December 31, 1946.

National Defense Service Medal

The National Defense Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Created in 1953, the National Defense Service Medal was intended to be a “blanket campaign medal” awarded to any member of the United States military who served honorably during a designated time period of which a “national emergency” had been declared.

In the fifty years since the creation of the National Defense Service Medal, it is only authorized for the following time periods.

- June 27, 1950 to July 27, 1954 for service during the Korean War
- January 1, 1961 to August 14, 1974 for service during the Vietnam War
- August 2, 1990 to November 30, 1995 for service during the Gulf War
- September 11, 2001 to a date to be announced for service during the War on Terrorism

Korean Service Medal

The Korean Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military and was created in November 1950 by order of President Harry Truman. The Korean Service Medal is the primary United States decoration for participation in the Korean War and is awarded to any U.S. service member, who performed duty in the Republic of Korea, between June 27, 1950 and June 27, 1954. The United States Department of Defense declared thirteen official campaigns of the Korean War, all of which are annotated by service stars on the Korean Service Medal.

Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

The Philippine Presidential Unit Citation is a decoration of the Republic of the Philippines which has been awarded to certain units of the United States military for actions both during and subsequent to the Second World War.  The decoration was first created in 1946 and retroactively awarded to any unit of the U.S. military which had served in the defense or liberation of the Philippine Islands.

Philippine Defense Medal

The Philippine Defense Medal is a decoration of the Republic of the Philippines which is awarded to commemorate the initial resistance against Japanese invasion between the dates of December 1941 and June 1942. The decoration was first created as ribbon in December, 1944 and a full sized medal was authorized in July, 1945.  The Philippine Defense Medal is presented to any service member, of either the Philippine military or an allied armed force, which participated in the defense of the Philippine Islands between December 8, 1941 and June 15, 1942.  Those eligible must have served thirty or more days of duty or must have been engaged in a combat operation for which the time requirement is waived.

Philippine Liberation Medal

The Philippine Liberation Medal is a military award of the Republic of the Philippines which was created by an order of Commonwealth of the Philippines Army Headquarters on December 20, 1944. The award was presented to any service member, of both Philippine and allied militaries, who participated in the liberation of the Philippine Islands between the dates of October 17, 1944 and September 2, 1945

The Philippine Liberation Medal is intended to recognize military service in the last days of World War II when the military of Japan was driven from the Philippines and then to eventually surrender in September of 1945. To be awarded the medal, a service member must have served in the Philippines for at least thirty days during the eligible time period, or must have participated in one of the following actions:

- Participation in the initial landing operation of Leyte and adjoining islands from October 7 to October 20, 1944
- Participation in any engagement against hostile Japanese forces during the Philippine Liberation Campaign of October 17, 1944 to September 2, 1945