Talk:Civil War Campaign Medal

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According to various reliable sources, the War Campaign Medal is NOT the first campaign medal. The first campaign medal was the Battle of Manila Bay Medal, also known as the Dewey Medal. The Dewey Medal was awarded to all those who served in the Manila Bay Campaign of 1 May 1898. It was authorized by Congress on 3 June 1898. Now let's move up from 1898 to 1907. That is the year that the Civil War Medal (Army), and the Inian Wars Medal (Army) were authorized. The Civil War Medal (Navy & Marine Corps) was authorized in 1908. In that same year, the Spanish Campaign Medal (Navy & Marine Corps) was also authorized. The Spanish Campaign Medal (Army) was authorized in 1905. The West Indies Naval Campaign Medal (Navy & Marine Corps) was authorized in 1901. There were other campaign medals for service between the Spanish-American War and WW1, but I think that I've digressed enough.

Its recognized as the "first" campaign medal because its retroactive to 1861. The Institute of Heraldry also refers to the decoration as such. Of course there were earlier medals, but the Civil War Campaign Medal is classified as the first campaign medal by virtue of its time frame of eligability, not when it was physically created. -Husnock 23 Jan 05