WWI Victory Medal
The American World War I Victory Medal was 1 of 17 unique, yet similar, medals designed by the allied nations to commemorate victory in the Great War. America’s version of the medal was designed by James Earle Fraser and features a winged Victory on the front. The back shows a fasces over a U.S. shield with the text “THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILIZATION” across the top. The names of 13 other allied nations flank the fasces. The medal hangs from a double rainbow ribbon. The medal was authorized for award by general orders for service in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps from April 6, 1917-November 11, 1918; for service in Russia from November 12th, 1918-August 5th, 1919; and service in Siberia from November 23rd, 1918-April 1st, 1920. The Army and Navy authorized Citation Stars and the Navy Commendation Star (Navy) to be worn on the full medal and ribbon for members who were cited for gallantry (Army) or commended by the Secretary of the Navy. Battle clasps were worn on the full medal to designate participation in named campaigns, while campaign stars were worn on the ribbon. The Navy issued operational clasps for sea service during the war. The Army and Marine Corps allowed eligible recipients to wear clasps for each battle they participated in, while the Navy only allowed wear of one clasp. Marines who served in France but were ineligible for any battle clasps received a bronze Maltese cross device on their medals.
Army Battle Clasps:
Aisne
Aisne-Marne
Cambrai
Champagne-Marne
Lys
Meuse-Argonne
Montdidier-Noyon
Oise-Aisne
St. Mihiel
Somme-Defensive Somme-Offensive
Vittorio-Veneto
Ypres
Lys
Defensive Sector (for general service not involving specific battles)
Naval Operational Clasps:
Armed Guard
Asiatic
Atlantic
Fleet
Aviation
Destroyer
Escort
Grand Fleet
Mine Laying
Mine Sweeping
Mobile Base
Naval Battery
Overseas Patrol
Salvage
Submarine
Submarine Chaser
Transport
White Sea
The Army and Navy also authorized Service Clasps for soldiers and sailors who served overseas but did not experience combat. Anyone who was eligible for a Battle Clasp would not receive a Service Clasp.
Army Service Clasps
England France Italy Russia Siberia
Navy Service Clasps
England France Italy Russia Siberia West Indies
This is a list of Battle Clasps authorized for larger units who served overseas, per the U.S. Militaria Forum. (1)
This is a list of Battle Clasps authorized for larger units who served overseas, per the U.S. Militaria Forum. (1)
1st Division
Montdidier-Noyon
Aisne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
2nd Division
Aisne
Aisne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
3rd Division (Most of Division – exceptions follow)
Aisne
Champagne-Marne
Aisne-Marne
Meuse-Argonne 3rd Division, 3rd Ammunition Train
Ineligible for Aisne 3rd Division, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade
Add – St. Mihiel
Ineligible for Aisne 3rd Division, 7th Machine Gun Battalion
Add – St. Mihiel 3rd Division, 6th Engineers Regiment
Add – St. Mihiel
Add – Somme Defensive
4th Division (Most of Division – exception follows)
Aisne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne 4th Division, 4th Field Artillery Brigade, 77th Field Artillery Battery
Ineligible for Aisne-Marne
5th Division (Most of Division – exception follows)
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne 5th Division, 5th Field Artillery Brigade
Ineligible for Meuse-Argonne 6th Division
Meuse-Argonne
7th Division
Meuse-Argonne
8th Division
No Clasps Authorized
26th Division
Champagne-Marne
Aisne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
27th Division (Most of Division – exception follows)
Ypres-Lys
Somme Offensive 27th Division, 52nd Field Artillery Brigade
Add – Meuse-Argonne
Ineligible for Ypres-Lys
Ineligible for Somme Offensive
28th Division (Most of Division – exception follows)
Champagne-Marne
Aisne-Marne
Oise-Aisne
Meuse-Argonne 28th Division, 53rd Artillery Brigade
Add – Ypres-Lys
Ineligible for Champagne-Marne
Ineligible for Aisne-Marne
29th Division
Meuse-Argonne
30th Division
Ypres-Lys
Somme Offensive
31st Division
France Service Clasp
32nd Division
Aisne-Marne
Oise-Aisne
Meuse-Argonne
33rd Division (Most of Division – exception follows)
Somme Offensive
Meuse-Argonne 33rd Division, 58th Field Artillery Brigade
Add – St. Mihiel
Ineligible for Somme Offensive
34th Division
France Service Clasp
35th Division (Most of Division – exception follows)
Meuse-Argonne 35th Division, 60th Field Artillery and the 69th and 70th Infantry Brigades, 110th Engineers, and the 110th Field Signal and 128th Machine Gun Battalions
Add – St. Mihiel
36th Division (Most of Division – exception follows)
Meuse-Argonne 36th Division, 111th Engineers
Add – St. Mihiel
37th Division (Most of Division – exception follows)
Meuse-Argonne
Ypres-Lys 37th Division, 62nd Field Artillery Brigade
Ineligible for Ypres-Lys
38th Division
France Service Clasp
39th Division
France Service Clasp
40th Division
France Service Clasp
41st Division
France Service Clasp
42nd Division
Champagne-Marne Aisne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
76th Division
France Service Clasp
77th Division
Oise-Aisne
Meuse-Argonne
78th Division
Meuse-Argonne
St. Mihiel
79th Division
Meuse-Argonne
80th Division (Most of Division – exceptions follow)
Meuse-Argonne 80th Division, 159th and 160th Infantry Brigades, 305th Engineers, and the 305th field Signal and 313th Machine Gun Battalions
Add – St. Mihiel 80th Division, No Specific Unit Cited – Possibly entire Division
(Reference: G.O. #75, G.H.Q., A.E.F., May 2nd, 1919)
Add – Somme Offensive
81st Division
Meuse-Argonne
82nd Division
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
83rd Division
France Service Clasp
84th Division
France Service Clasp
85th Division
France Service Clasp 85th Division. 1st Battalion
Russia Service Clasp 85th Division, 339th Infantry Regiment
Russia Service Clasp 85th Division, 310th Engineer Train
Russia Service Clasp
86th Division
France Service Clasp
87th Division
France Service Clasp
88th Division
Meuse-Argonne
89th Division (Most of Division – exception follows)
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne 89th Division, 164th Field Artillery Brigade
Defensive Sector only
Ineligible for St. Mihiel
Ineligible for Meuse-Argonne
90th Division
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
91st Division
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
Ypres-Lys
92nd Division
Meuse-Argonne
93rd Division
No Clasps Authorized* (See Footnote Below)
11th Engineer Regiment
Cambrai
12th Infantry Regiment (Few Volunteers)
Siberia Service Clasp
12th Engineer Regiment
Cambrai
13th Infantry Regiment (Many Volunteers)
Siberia Service Clasp
14th Engineer Regiment
Cambrai
27th Infantry Regiment
Siberia Service Clasp
31st Infantry Regiment
Siberia Service Clasp
62nd Infantry Regiment (Many Volunteers)
Siberia Service Clasp
332nd Infantry Regiment
Vittorio-Veneto
369th Infantry Regiment
Champagne-Marne
Aisne-Marne
Meuse-Argonne
370th Infantry Regiment
St. Mihiel
Oise-Aisne
371st Infantry Regiment
Meuse-Argonne
57th Field Artillery Brigade
Aisne-Marne
Oise-Marne
Meuse-Argonne
66th Field Artillery Brigade
Champagne-Marne
Aisne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
158 Field Artillery Brigade and the 3rd Corps Artillery Park
Meuse-Argonne
1st Corps Artillery Park
Champagne-Marne
Aisne-Marne
Oise-Marne
Meuse-Argonne
2nd Corps Artillery Park
Aisne-Marne
Oise-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
4th Corps Artillery Park and the 58th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps
Defensive Sector
1st Army Artillery Park plus the 43rd, 51st, 53rd, 57th, 59th, 60th, and the 65th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
42nd Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps
Champagne-Marne
44th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps
Champagne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
52nd Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps, the 1st Gas Regiment, and the 1st Battalion, Trench Artillery
Aisne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
55th and 56th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps
Oise-Marne
Meuse-Argonne
2nd Cavalry Division
Aisne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
1st and 2nd Antiaircraft Battalion plus the 1st and 2nd Antiaircraft Machine Gun Battalion
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
115th and the 301st Field Signal Battalion
Defensive Sector
308th Field Signal Battalion
Aisne-Marne
Oise-Marne
Meuse-Argonne
310th Field Signal Battalion
St. Mihiel
317th and the 319th Field Signal Battalion
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
318th Field Signal Battalion
Somme Offensive
322nd Field Signal Battalion
Champagne-Marne
Aisne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
11th Engineers (Standard Gauge RR)
Lys
12th Engineers (Light RR)
Somme Defensive
13th Engineers (Standard Gauge RR) plus the 115th Engineers
Defensive Sector
14th Engineers (Light RR)
Somme Defensive
Aisne-Marne
Oise-Marne
Meuse-Argonne
15th Engineers (Standard Gauge RR) and the 21st Engineers (Light RR) plus Independent Engineers – 23rd (Highway), 24th (Supply & Shop), 26th (Water Supply), 28th (Quarry), 37th (Electrical & Mechanical), 56th (Searchlight), 310th, and the 602nd
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
16th Engineers (Standard Gauge RR)
Lys
Meuse-Argonne
22nd Engineers (Light RR) plus Independent Engineers – 25th (Construction), 27th (Mining), 114th, 603rd, and the 604th
Meuse-Argonne
Independent Engineers – 29th (Survey & Print) and the 40th (Camouflage)
Aisne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
301st Engineers
St. Mihiel
308th Engineers
Aisne-Marne
Oise-Marne
Meuse-Argonne
1st Pioneer Infantry
Aisne-Marne
Oise-Aisne
Meuse-Argonne
3rd, 52nd, 54th, 56th, 59th, 802nd, 805th, 806th, 807th, and the 808th Pioneer Infantry
Meuse-Argonne
51st Pioneer Infantry
St. Mihiel
53rd Pioneer Infantry
St. Mihiel
Meuse Argonne
803rd and the 804th Pioneer Infantry
Defensive Sector
51st, 409th, 417th, and the 419th Telegraph Battalion
Defensive Sector
52nd Telegraph Battalion
Aisne-Marne
Oise-Marne
Meuse-Argonne
55th and the 401st Telegraph Battalion
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
406th and the 411th Telegraph Battalion
Aisne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
412th Telegraph Battalion
Ypres-Lys
Somme Offensive
301st Battalion, Tank Corps
Somme Offensive
344th and the 345th Battalion, Tank Corps
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
1st Corps Observation Group (Most of Group – exception follows)
Champagne-Marne
Aisne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
1st Corps Observation Group, 50th Squadron
Ineligible for Champagne-Marne
Ineligible for Aisne-Marne 3rd Corps Observation Group (Most of Group – exceptions follow)
Champagne-Marne
Aisne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
3rd Corps Observation Group, 90th Squadron
Ineligible for Champagne-Marne
Ineligible for Aisne-Marne
3rd Corps Observation Group, 199th Squadron
Ineligible for Champagne-Marne
Ineligible for Aisne-Marne
Ineligible for St. Mihiel
4th Corps Observation Group (Most of Group – exception follows)
St. Mihiel 4th Corps Observation Group, 168th Squadron
Defensive Sector Only
Ineligible for St. Mihiel
5th Corps Observation Group plus 1st Army Observation Group (Most of Group – exception follows) and the 1st Day Bombardment Group (Most of Group – exception follows)
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
1st Army Observation Group, 186th Squadron and the 1st Day Bombardment Group, 166th Squadron
Ineligible for St. Mihiel 6th and 7th Corps Observation Group, plus the 2nd Day Bombardment Group
Defensive Sector
1st Pursuit Group (Most of Group – exceptions follow)
Champagne-Marne
Aisne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
1st Pursuit Group, 185th Squadron
Ineligible for Champagne-Marne
Ineligible for Aisne-Marne
Ineligible for St. Mihiel 1st Pursuit Group, 4th Air Park
Ineligible for Champagne-Marne
Ineligible for Aisne-Marne
2nd Pursuit Group (Most of Group – exceptions follow)
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
2nd Pursuit Group, 22nd Squadron
Add – Somme Defensive 2nd Pursuit Group, 5th Air Park
Ineligible for St. Mihiel
3rd Pursuit Group (Most of Group – exception follows)
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne 3rd Pursuit Group. 28th Squadron
Add – Somme Defensive
Add – Lys 4th Pursuit Group (Most of Group – exceptions follow)
Somme Defensive
Somme Offensive
4th Pursuit Group, 141st Squadron and the 6th Air Park
Defensive Sector only
Ineligible for Somme Defensive
Ineligible for Somme Offensive
1st Corps Balloon Group (Most of Group – exceptions follow)
Aisne-Marne
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
1st Corps Balloon Group, 2nd Balloon Company
Add – Champagne-Marne
1st Corps Balloon Group, 5th Balloon Company
Ineligible for Aisne-Marne 3rd Corps Balloon Group (Most of Group – exceptions follow) and all of the 5th Corps Balloon Group, Army Balloons – 1st Army, and 3rd Air Park
St. Mihiel
Meuse-Argonne
3rd Corps Balloon Group, 4th Balloon Company
Add – Aisne-Marne
Ineligible for St. Mihiel
4th Corps Balloon Group (Most of Group – exceptions follow)
Defensive Sector
4th Corps Balloon Group, 69th Balloon Company
Add – St. Mihiel
6th Corps Balloon Group
St. Mihiel
(1) Emccomas. “Ref Thread: WWI Victory Medal,” U.S. Militaria Forum, December 22nd, 2014. https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/45214-ref-thread-wwi-victory-medal/page/3/.
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