United States. A Navy Spanish Campaign Medal 1898

In bronze gilt, measuring 32.5 mm in diameter, edge nicks, bruised, contact marks, original ribbon with brooch pinback, very fine.

Footnote: The Spanish Campaign Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which recognized those members of the U.S. military who had served in the Spanish-American War. Although a single decoration, there were two versions of the Spanish Campaign Medal, one for members of the United States Army and another for the forces of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The Army medal was designed by Francis Davis Millet while the Navy and Marines medals were designed by Rudolf Freund (1878-1960) of Bailey, Banks & Biddle. The Navy version of the Spanish Campaign Medal was created in June 1908 and issued to any member of either the Navy or Marine Corps who had served in the Philippine Islands between May 1 and August 16, 1898. Crews of select ships were eligible for the medal prior to May 1st. For service in the West Indies, the Navy awarded the West Indies Campaign Medal, as well as the Sampson Medal which was authorized by a joint resolution of Congress in 1901. In 1913, the Navy discontinued the award of the West Indies Campaign Medal and extended the criteria of the Spanish Campaign Medal to any member of the Navy or Marine Corps who had served on active duty during the Spanish-American War.