1. U.S. Code
  2. title 10
  3. subtitle C
  4. part II
  5. chapter 837
  6. § 8291

Collapse to view only § 8291. Medal of honor

§ 8291. Medal of honor
The President may award, and present in the name of Congress, a medal of honor of appropriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, to a person who, while a member of the naval service, distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty—
(1) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
(2) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
(3) while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 389, § 6241; Pub. L. 88–77, § 2(1), July 25, 1963, 77 Stat. 93; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XV, § 1503(b)(2), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 512; renumbered § 8291, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8291

§ 8292. Navy cross
The President may award a Navy cross of appropriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or Marine Corps, distinguishes himself by extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of a medal of honor—
(1) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
(2) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
(3) while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 389, § 6242; Pub. L. 88–77, § 2(2), July 25, 1963, 77 Stat. 94; renumbered § 8292, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8292

§ 8293. Distinguished-service medal

The President may award a distinguished-service medal of appropriate design and a ribbon, together with a rosette or other device to be worn in place thereof, to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or the Marine Corps, distinguishes himself by exceptionally meritorious service to the United States in a duty of great responsibility.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 389, § 6243; renumbered § 8293, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8293

§ 8294. Silver star medal
The President may award a silver star medal of appropriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or Marine Corps, is cited for gallantry in action that does not warrant a medal of honor or Navy cross—
(1) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
(2) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
(3) while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 389, § 6244; Pub. L. 88–77, § 2(3), July 25, 1963, 77 Stat. 94; renumbered § 8294, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8294

§ 8295. Distinguished flying cross

The President may award a distinguished flying cross of appropriate design with accompanying ribbon to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or the Marine Corps, distinguishes himself by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 390, § 6245; renumbered § 8295, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8295

§ 8296. Navy and Marine Corps Medal
(a) The President may award a medal called the “Navy and Marine Corps Medal” of appropriate design with accompanying ribbon, together with a rosette or other device to be worn in place thereof—
(1) to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or the Marine Corps, distinguishes himself by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy; or
(2) to any person to whom the Secretary of the Navy, before August 7, 1942, awarded a letter of commendation for heroism, and who applies for that medal, regardless of the date of the act of heroism.
(b) The authority in subsection (a) includes authority to award the medal to a member of the Ready Reserve who was not in a duty status defined in section 101(d) of this title when the member distinguished himself by heroism.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 390, § 6246; Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title V, § 574(b), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1758; renumbered § 8296, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8296

§ 8297. Additional awards

Not more than one Navy cross, distinguished-service medal, silver star medal, distinguished flying cross, or Navy and Marine Corps Medal may be awarded to a person. However, for each succeeding act or service that would otherwise justify the award of such a medal or cross, the President may award a suitable bar, emblem, or insignia to be worn with the decoration and corresponding rosette or other device.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 390, § 6247; Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title V, § 561(b), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 766; renumbered § 8297, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8297

§ 8298. Limitations of time
(a) Except as provided in section 8296 of this title or subsection (b), no medal of honor, Navy cross, distinguished-service medal, silver star medal, Navy and Marine Corps Medal, or bar, emblem, or insignia in place thereof may be awarded to a person unless—
(1) the award is made within five years after the date of the act or service justifying the award; and
(2) a statement setting forth the act or distinguished service and recommending official recognition of it was made by his superior through official channels within three years from the date of that act or service.
(b) If the Secretary of the Navy determines that—
(1) a statement setting forth the act or distinguished service and recommending official recognition of it was made by the person’s superior through official channels within three years from the date of that act or service and was supported by sufficient evidence within that time; and
(2) no award was made, because the statement was lost or through inadvertence the recommendation was not acted on;
a medal of honor, Navy cross, distinguished-service medal, silver star medal, Navy and Marine Corps Medal, or bar, emblem, or insignia in place thereof, as the case may be, may be awarded to the person within two years after the date of that determination.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 390, § 6248; Pub. L. 86–582, § 1(2), July 5, 1960, 74 Stat. 320; renumbered § 8298 and amended Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, §§ 807(b)(13), 809(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836, 1840.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8298

[§ 8299. Repealed. Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title V, § 582(b)(2)(A), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1412]

CITE AS: 10 USC 8299

§ 8300. Posthumous awards

If a person who distinguishes himself dies before an award to which he is entitled is made, the award may be made and the medal, cross, or bar, or associated emblem or insignia may be presented, within five years from the date of the act or service justifying the award, to his representative as designated by the President.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 390, § 6250; renumbered § 8300, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8300

§ 8301. Delegation of power to award

The President may delegate, under such conditions as he prescribes, to flag and general officers who are commanders-in-chief or commanding on important independent duty, his authority to award the Navy cross, the distinguished-service medal, the silver star medal, or the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 391, § 6251; renumbered § 8301, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8301

§ 8302. Regulations

The President may prescribe regulations for the administration of the preceding sections of this chapter.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 391, § 6252; renumbered § 8302, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8302

§ 8303. Replacement

The Secretary of the Navy may replace without charge any medal of honor, Navy cross, distinguished-service medal, silver star medal, or Navy and Marine Corps Medal, or any associated bar, emblem, or insignia awarded under this chapter that is stolen, lost, or destroyed or becomes unfit for use without fault or neglect on the part of the person to whom it was awarded.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 391, § 6253; Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, § 553(b)(2), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1116; renumbered § 8303, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8303

§ 8304. Availability of appropriations

The Secretary of the Navy may spend from appropriations for the pay of the Navy or the Marine Corps, as appropriate, amounts necessary to provide and replace medals of honor, Navy crosses, distinguished-service medals, silver star medals, and Navy and Marine Corps Medals, and associated bars, emblems, and insignia.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 391, § 6254; renumbered § 8304, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8304

§ 8305. Commemorative or special medals: facsimiles and ribbons

Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy, members of the naval service may wear, in place of commemorative or special medals awarded to them, miniature facsimiles of such medals and ribbons symbolic of the awards.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 391, § 6255; renumbered § 8305, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8305

§ 8306. Medal of honor: duplicate medal

A person awarded a medal of honor shall, upon written application of that person, be issued, without charge, one duplicate medal of honor with ribbons and appurtenances. Such duplicate medal of honor shall be marked, in such manner as the Secretary of the Navy may determine, as a duplicate or for display purposes only.

(Added Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, § 553(b)(1)(A), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1116, § 6256; renumbered § 8306, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8306

§ 8307. Medal of honor: presentation of Medal of Honor Flag

The President shall provide for the presentation of the Medal of Honor Flag designated under section 903 of title 36 to each person to whom a medal of honor is awarded under section 8291 of this title. Presentation of the flag shall be made at the same time as the presentation of the medal under section 8291 or 8300 of this title. In the case of a posthumous presentation of the medal, the flag shall be presented to the person to whom the medal is presented.

(Added Pub. L. 107–248, title VIII, § 8143(c)(2)(A), Oct. 23, 2002, 116 Stat. 1570, § 6257; amended Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title X, § 1062(a)(16), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2650; Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title V, § 555(a), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2217; renumbered § 8307 and amended Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, §§ 807(b)(13), 809(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836, 1840.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8307

§ 8308. Korea Defense Service Medal
(a) The Secretary of the Navy shall issue a campaign medal, to be known as the Korea Defense Service Medal, to each person who while a member of the Navy or Marine Corps served in the Republic of Korea or the waters adjacent thereto during the KDSM eligibility period and met the service requirements for the award of that medal prescribed under subsection (c).
(b) In this section, the term “KDSM eligibility period” means the period beginning on July 28, 1954, and ending on such date after the date of the enactment of this section as may be determined by the Secretary of Defense to be appropriate for terminating eligibility for the Korea Defense Service Medal.
(c) The Secretary of the Navy shall prescribe service requirements for eligibility for the Korea Defense Service Medal. Those requirements shall not be more stringent than the service requirements for award of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for instances in which the award of that medal is authorized.
(Added Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title V, § 543(c)(1), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2549, § 6257; renumbered § 6258, Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title X, § 1084(d)(30), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 2063; renumbered § 8308, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(b)(13), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836.)

CITE AS: 10 USC 8308