Qualifying Expeditions for Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal

A question was raised in another forum recently that provided me yet another chance to berate the masses about Medal and Uniform knowledge. Thought I'd share this for the 'good of the order'.

I'll sticky this after a few days.

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MARINE CORPS EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL

In order to recognize limited service against an opposing force, On May 8 1919 the Marine Corps established an "Expeditionary Ribbon." (By Marine Corps General Order No 33). Two years later the Expeditionary Ribbon was "upgraded" to a medal. (July 28, 1921). But, like usual, the Marine Corps didn't start actually ISSUING the medal until much later, March 1, 1929.

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.


The MCEM was awarded for 'qualifying service' as far back as 1874. (The Marine had to apply, though).


On a trivia note, 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.

Originally, the medals were numbered, those numbers were entered into the Marines service record. No longer, however. But early ones can sometimes be traced. (No complete listing has ever been attempted).

A bar with the words "WAKE ISLAND" was authorized for those defenders who served there from 7 December to 22 December, 1941. On the ribbon bar, this is indicated by a "W".

Second and subsequent awards of the MCEM are denoted by a bronze star on the ribbon. (Earlier awards had numerals but this was discontinued).

http://z.about.com/d/usmilitary/1/0/...expedition.jpg


Photo of a REAL Wake Island bar (the market is flooded with fakes, sad to say)


http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/uplo...1220113138.jpg
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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.