China Service Medal

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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:

1. 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.
2. 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.

Regulations permitted the wearing of a bronze service star if a service member had performed duty during both periods of eligibility. In the modern age, the China Service Medal is considered obsolete and is no longer issued by the United States Navy.

See Also: Awards and decorations of the United States military