How to Identify Navy Medals and Ribbons From World War II

Navy WWII Medals

• 1

  Write down all of the colors on the medal you want to identify. Record any other relevant information. For example, if the medal reads "American Campaign" across the top and has engraved pictures of a plane and a boat, you should note this.

• 2

  Consult the Institute of Heraldry or USA Military Medals to identify your medal. For example, the medal with the blue, red, black and white colors on its cloth and "American Campaign" engraved at the top is the American Campaign Medal awarded to all Navy service members who served one full year within the United States or 30 consecutive/60 non-consecutive days outside the United States between the dates of Dec. 7, 1941 and March 2, 1946.

• 3

  Write this information down for future reference.

Navy WWII Ribbons

• 4

  Write down the color order on the ribbon, from left to right.

• 5

  Use the Institute of Heraldry or USA Military Medals to identify your ribbon. For example, the red, blue, white and red ribbon is the Philippine Liberation Medal Ribbon, which was awarded to all Navy service members who took part in the liberation of the Philippines for the United States between Oct. 17, 1944 and Sept. 2, 1945.

• 6

  Write the information down for future reference.