Orders, decorations and insignia, military and civil: With the history and romance of their origin and a full description of each

THE conferring of decorations on citizens of the United States has assumed a new importance during the World War due to the character of the service rendered and the initiation of new classes of decorations by an Act of Congress. In contradistinction to many foreign decorations which are awarded for personal reasons, the United States decorations are only awarded for specific services rendered and are, in each case, only awarded after a careful scrutiny by a board of officers of the service upon which the award is based. Every little bit of ribbon, then, worn by an officer of the Army or Navy or by a civilian who participated in the military programme during the World War, represents distinguished service of some form and a very high standard is preserved in the conferring of these decorations.

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Table of Contents:

Copyright

FOREWORD

PREFACE

CONTENTS

ILLUSTRATIONS

ILLUSTRATIONS IN DETAIL

CHAPTER I THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF MEDALS AND DECORATIONS

CHAPTER II MILITARY ORDERS

CHAPTER III NOMENCLATURE, CLASSIFICATION, AND METHOD OF WEARING DECORATIONS AND MEDALS

CHAPTER IV AMERICAN DECORATIONS

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