The criteria for the medal are: "The Soldier's Medal is awarded to any person of the Armed Forces of the United States or of a friendly foreign nation who, while serving in any capacity with the Army of the United States, including Reserve Component soldiers not serving in a duty status at the time of the heroic act, distinguished himself or herself by heroism not involving conflict with an enemy."[4]
A need to recognize acts of heroism in 1922 resulted in the War Department's issuing orders for acts of bravery during peacetime. This led to an Act of Congress (Public Law 446-69th Congress, July 2, 1926 (44 Stat. 780)) which established the Soldier's Medal for acts of heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy. The Secretary of War directed that the Quartermaster General prepare and submit appropriate designs of the Soldier's Medal per letter signed by the Adjutant General dated 11 August 1926.[3] The medal was designed by sculptor Gaetano Cecere.[5]
The first Soldier's Medals were awarded on October 17, 1927, to John F. Burns and James P. Martin[6] for their heroism during a fire and to James K. Wilson[7] and Cleophas C. Burnett[8] for saving people from drowning.[9]
The period of time when the most Soldier's Medals were awarded was World War II (at least hundreds were awarded).
Prior to the establishment of the Airman's Medal, which was authorized on 10 August 1956 and created in 1960, the Soldier's Medal awarded to U.S. Air Force personnel by the Army since 26 September 1947.[10]
The distinguishing criterion for awarding the Soldier's Medal, per Army Regulation 600-8-22, para 3-14, is "The performance must have involved personal hazard or danger and the voluntary risk of life under conditions not involving conflict with an armed enemy. Awards will not be made solely on the basis of having saved a life."[4] It is the highest honor a soldier can receive for an act of valor in a non-combat situation, held to be equal to or greater than the level which would have justified an award of the Distinguished Flying Cross had the act occurred in combat. Any enlisted American servicemember who is eligible for retirement pay will receive an increase of 10 percent in retirement pay if the level of valor was equal to that which would earn the Distinguished Service Cross. Additional awards of the medal are denoted by oak leaf clusters worn on the suspension and service ribbon of the medal.[3][4]
The Soldier's Medal is issued as a 1 3/8 inch wide Bronze octagon with an eagle displayed, standing on a fasces, between two groups of stars of six and seven, above the group of six a spray of leaves. On the reverse is a shield paly of 13 pieces, on the chief the letters "US," supported by sprays of laurel and oak, around the upper edge the inscription "SOLDIER'S MEDAL" and across the face the words "FOR VALOR." In the base is a panel for the name of the recipient to be engraved. The medal is suspended from the ribbon by a rectangular-shaped metal loop with corners rounded.
The ribbon is 1 3/8 inches wide and consists of the following stripes: 3/8 inch Ultramarine Blue 67118 on each side and the center containing 13 White and Red stripes of equal width (7 White 67101 and 6 Old Glory Red 67156).[3]
Otto Kerner Jr., US Army, was awarded the Soldier's Medal for rescuing a drowning soldier off the coast of Sicily.
Kilma S. Lattin, US Army, and former Executive Tribal Council Member of the Pala Band of Mission Indians was awarded the Soldier's Medal for Valor for rescuing a woman engulfed in flames. He repeatedly sustained injuries while using his body to extinguish the fire, and saved the woman’s life.[14]
Henry Mucci, US Army, was awarded the Soldier's Medal for rescuing a soldier in danger of drowning in 1943.[15]
Christopher Speer, a former member of the United States Army Special Forces and Delta Force. Awarded the Soldier's Medal for risking his life to save two Afghan children who were trapped in a minefield on July 21, 2002. Two weeks later he died at Ramstein Air Base from a head injury sustained from a grenade in Afghanistan.
Brad Wenstrup, an Ohio congressman, an Army Reserve colonel, and Iraq war veteran, was awarded the Soldier’s Medal for his actions during the 2017 shooting at a congressional baseball team practice.[18]
^ abcd"Soldiers's Medal". The Institute of Heraldry: Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the ARMY. Archived from the original on 2014-12-11. Retrieved 2013-12-21.
^Smithsonian, Air and Space Museum. "Airman's Medal". Retrieved May 6, 2017.
^Newman, Aubrey S. (March 1976). "Obituary, Joseph Pringle Cleland". Assembly. West Point, New York: Association of Graduates, United States Military Academy. pp. 117–119 – via Google Books.
