Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY
The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal was established as a ribbon only on May 8, 1919, by Marine Corps General Orders No. 33. A medal was authorized by Executive Order 3524 signed by President Warren G. Harding on July 28, 1921 (and implemented on March 1, 1929, by Marine Corps General Orders Number 20).
EFFECTIVE DATES
The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal has been awarded for qualifying service from February 12, 1874, to the present. The earliest qualifying service was in the Hawaiian Islands from February 12 to 20, 1874.
CRITERIA
The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal is awarded to Marine Corps personnel who land on foreign territory, engage in operations against armed opposition, or who operate under circumstances deemed to merit special recognition and for which no campaign medal has been awarded.
ORDER OF PRECEDENCE
The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal is worn after the Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal and before the Navy Occupation Service Medal.
DEVICES
A bar with the words WAKE ISLAND is authorized for wear on the medal for personnel who served in the defense of Wake Island between and December 7 and 22, 1941.
A silver W is worn on the service ribbon to denote the Individual is entitled to the WAKE ISLAND bar.
On March 1, 1920, bronze numerals were authorized to denote additional awards of the USMC Expeditionary Medal (subsequently replaced by bronze stars).
A bronze star three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter is authorized for each subsequent entitlement to the medal.
FIRST RECIPIENT
Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal M.No.1 was awarded to Quartermaster Sergeant Roy L. Kinna for service in Cuba between May and August of 1912.
DESIGNER
The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal was designed by Walker Hancock, and its ribbon was designed earlier by Major S.W. Bogan, USMC.
Obverse
In the center of a bronze medallion one and a quarter inches in diameter, a Marine in full pack is shown charging with fixed bayonet. There are wave scrolls at the base where they meet at firmament. In the upper half of the medal, following its contour, the word EXPEDITIONS in raised letters.
The figure is that of an enlisted Marine "in action, responding to the call of duty." The scroll waves ending at firmament allude to Marine service and signify an opposed landing.
Reverse
In the center of a bronze medallion, an eagle is shown alight upon an anchor; the eagle is facing to the left, and the flukes of the anchor are to the right side of the medallion. The eagle is grasping sprigs of laurel, which extend beyond the anchor in both directions. Above the eagle are the words UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS. Above the laurel on the left is the word FOR, and over the laurel on the right, SERVICE.
The eagle is the American bald eagle and represents the United States; the anchor alludes to naval service. The laurel is symbolic of victory and achievement.
Ribbon
The ribbon to the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal consists of a khaki background with a broad light gold stripe inside each edge.
Numbering
The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal was originally produced at the Philadelphia Mint and was serially numbered on the rim at the six o'clock position with the M.No. prefix.
Qualifying Expeditions:
Navy and Marine Corps Expeditions
Hawaii (Honolulu): February 12-20, 1874
Egypt (Alexandria): June 10 - August 29, 1882
Colombia (State of Panama): March 31 - May 22, 1885
Korea (Seoul): June 19-30, 1888
Samoa (Apia): November 13, 1888 - March 20, 1889
Hawaii (Honolulu): July 30-31, 1890
Argentina (Buenos Aires): July 30, 1890
Haiti (Naves Island): May 2 - 30 August 30, 1891
Chile (Valparaiso): August 28-30, 1891
Hawaii (Honolulu): January 16 - April 1, 1893
Nicaragua (Bluefields): July 6 - August 6, 1894
Korea (Seoul): July 24, 1894 - April 3, 1896
China (Tientsin): December 4, 1894 - May 16, 1895
China (Chefoo): March 1-18, 1895
Colombia (Boca de Toro): March 8-9, 1895
Nicaragua (Corinto): May 2-4, 1896
Nicaragua (San Juan del Sur): February 7-8, 1898
China (Peking and Tientsin): November 4,1898 - March 13, 1899
Nicaragua (Bluefields): February 24-28, 1899
Samoa (Apia): March 1899 - May 1899
Colombia (State of Panama): November 11 - December 4, 1901
Colombia (Boca del Toro): April 17-19, 1902
Panama (Isthmus of): September 18-22, 1902
Panama (Panama and Colon): September 23 - November 18, 1902
Honduras (Trujillo, La Ceiba, Puerto Cortex): March 21 - April 16, 1903
Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo City): April 1-19, 1903
Syria (Beirut): September 8-13, 1903
Syria (Beirut): October 10-17, 1903
Republic of Panama: November 4, 1903 - February 26, 1904
Abyssinia: November 21, 1903 - January 18, 1904
Panama (Porto Bello): December 31, 1903
Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo City & San Pedro de Macoris): January 1904 - February 27, 1904
Korea (American Legation Guard): January 5, 1904 - November 11, 1905
Russia (St Petersburg, Embassy Guard): December 1905 - January 1, 1907
Honduras (Laguna and Choloma): April 28, - June 8, 1907
Nicaragua (Bluefields): December 20, 1909 - March 15, 1910
Nicaragua (Corinto): May 30 - September 4, 1910
China (Legation Guard, Peking): October 10, 1911 - January 19, 1914
China (Peking and Shanghai): October 10, 1911 - January 19, 1914
Cuba (Guantanamo Bay): May 28 - August 5, 1912
Nicaragua (Managua: Legation Guard): November 15, 1912 - April 5, 1917
Haiti (Port-au-Prince): January 26 - February 10, 1914
Haiti (Gonaives): February 1-3, 1914
Haiti (Cape Haitien): October 18 - November 7, 1914
Dominican Republic: August 15 - December 17, 1914
Haiti: August 15 - December 17, 1914
Haiti: December 7, 1915 - April 5, 1917
Dominican Republic: December 5, 1916 - April 5, 1917
Haiti: November 12, 1918 - March 31, 1919
Dominican Republic: November 12, 1918 - September 1924
Nicaragua (Managua, Legation Guard): November 12, 1918 - August 3, 1925
Russia (Russian Island, Siberia): March 31, 1920 - November 19, 1922
Haiti: June 16, 1920 - November 25, 1924
Turkey (Ismir): June 28 - July 3, 1921
Turkey (Smyrna): September 7 - October 18, 1922
Honduras (La Ceiva, Puerto Cortez, Tela & Tegucigalpa): February 28 - March 13, 1924
Honduras (La Ceiva, Puerto Cortez, Tela & Tegucigalpa): March 18 - April 30, 1924
China (Peking, Legation Guard): September 9, 1924 - March 1, 1925
China (Shanghai): January 15, 1925 - August 31, 1925
China (Wuchow): April 3, 1926
Nicaragua (Bluefields): May 7 - June 4, 1926
China (Canton): December 1927
Armed Guards SS Mei Lu and SS I'Ping: April 22 - May 15, 1928
Haiti: December 4, 1929 - August 5, 1931
China (Shanghai): September 9-24, 1934
USS Panay: December 12, 1937
Wake Island: December 7-22, 1941
Thailand: May 16 - August 10, 1962
Cuba: January 3, 1961 - October 23, 1962
Iran, Yemen, & Indian Ocean: December 8, 1978 - June 6, 1979
Iran, Yemen, & Indian Ocean: November 21, 1979 - October 1, 1981
Lebanon: August 20, 1982 - May 31, 1983
Lebanon: June 1, 1983 to March 4, 1984*
Libya: January 20 - June 27, 1986
Persian Gulf: February 1 - July 23, 1987
Monrovia, Liberia (Sharp Edge): August 5, 1990 - February 21, 1991
Rwanda (Distant Runner): April 7-18, 1994
USS Cole Operations (Determined Response): October 12 2000 to December 15, 2002
* For service in Lebanon between June 1, 1983 and March 4, 1984, the service member may choose either the Navy Expeditionary Medal (or Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, depending on Service component) or the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
ribbon
medal, front
medal, back
