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thedrifter
11-21-06, 01:10 PM
November 27, 2006
The Lore of the Corps
Legion of Merit created to recognize WWII Allies

By Robert F. Dorr and Fred L. Borch
Special to the Times

The nation created the Legion of Merit during World War II to recognize outstanding service by Allied military and civilian personnel. Today, it is often given to long-serving senior U.S. officers and noncommissioned officers.

After the December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Marines served alongside our Allies in the Pacific, but the Corps had no way to officially recognize a non-combat achievement by a soldier from a friendly nation. To meet this need, Congress created the Legion of Merit on July 20, 1942.

The American medal was modeled after France’s Legion of Honor and was established in four classes — or “degrees” — chief commander, commander, officer and legionnaire. The idea was that having four levels would permit the award to be given to a variety of recipients, military and civilian, for outstanding services. The two highest classes, chief commander and commander, would be reserved for the high-ranking foreign service members; the two lower classes, officer and legionnaire, would go to lower-ranking foreign troops and Americans.

Initially, the award process was unusual: President Franklin D. Roosevelt decided in September 1942 that proposed awards were to be submitted for his personal approval. By early 1943, when this requirement was slowing down the awards process, Roosevelt decided that future awards to American military personnel could be made without his involvement.

As more awards were made to Americans in uniform, there was so much confusion concerning the classes of the award that the secretaries of War and Navy sent a letter to Roosevelt recommending that the four classes of the award apply only to Allied personnel; Americans should be awarded the Legion of Merit without any degree. Roosevelt agreed, and this policy continues today.

To receive a Legion of Merit, a Marine must have shown “exceptionally meritorious conduct in performing outstanding service.” According to the Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, this means the service rendered “must have been comparable to that required for the [Navy] Distinguished Service Medal, but in a duty of lesser though considerable responsibility.” In practical terms, this means a Marine must be in a key duty position to receive the Legion of Merit while on active duty. This also explains why the majority of decorations are presented as retirement awards.

The obverse of the Legion of Merit is a five-pointed white star edged with purple enamel. In the center of the star is a circle of clouds surrounding a blue disc containing 13 white stars — representing the 13 original colonies. Between each of the five arms are two crossed arrows pointing outward. The reverse of the medal has the inscriptions, “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “ANNUIT COEPTIS MDCCLXXXII.” The latter signifies that the Legion of Merit traces its origins to Gen. George Washington’s Purple Heart, conceived in 1782 — which is why the ribbon for the Legion of Merit is similar to the ribbon for the Purple Heart.

Robert F. Dorr, an Air Force veteran, lives in Oakton, Va. He can be reached at robert.f.dorr@cox.net. Fred L. Borch retired from the Army after 25 years. He can be reached at borchfj@aol.com.

Ellie