Bronze Star Medal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bronze Star Medal |
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Front view
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| Type | Military medal (Decoration) |
| Awarded for | "Heroic or meritorious achievement or service" |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Clasps |
Army, Air Force, and Space Force – "V" device
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| Statistics | |
| Established | Executive Order 9419, 4 February 1944 (superseded by E.O. 11046, 24 August 1962) |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Army: Soldier's Medal Naval Service: Navy and Marine Corps Medal Air and Space Forces: Airman's Medal Coast Guard: Coast Guard Medal |
| Next (lower) | Purple Heart |
  Medal ribbon (above) – Reverse side of star (below) |
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The Bronze Star Medal (often called the BSM) is a special award given to members of the United States Armed Forces. It honors soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Guardians for showing great bravery or excellent service in a combat zone.
This medal can be given for heroic actions or for outstanding service. It's a way to recognize people who go above and beyond in tough situations.
Sometimes, a special "V" device is added to the medal. This "V" stands for valor, meaning extreme bravery in combat. The rules for wearing the "V" are a little different for each branch of the military.
Even people who are not part of the U.S. military can sometimes receive this award. This includes foreign soldiers serving with U.S. forces. Civilians working with the military in combat zones can also be honored. For example, a reporter named Joe Galloway received the Bronze Star with the "V" device during the Vietnam War. He bravely rescued a wounded soldier while under fire. The famous writer Ernest Hemingway also received this medal.
What is the Bronze Star Medal?
The Bronze Star Medal was created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 4, 1944. It was meant to honor soldiers who showed bravery or excellent service on the ground. This was similar to how the Air Medal honored airmen.
The medal can be given to anyone serving in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, or Coast Guard. It's for actions that happened after December 6, 1941.
You can earn the Bronze Star for:
- Being in a fight against an enemy of the United States.
- Taking part in military actions where there's a conflict with another country's forces.
- Serving with friendly foreign forces in a fight, even if the U.S. is not directly involved.
The acts of bravery for the Bronze Star are important, but they are not as extreme as those needed for the Silver Star. The acts of service must be excellent and done with great skill.
During World War II, many soldiers who received the Combat Infantryman Badge or Combat Medical Badge were also given the Bronze Star Medal. This was because these badges were awarded for tough combat experiences.
What does the Bronze Star Medal look like?
The Bronze Star Medal was designed by Rudolf Freund. He also designed the Silver Star.
The medal is a bronze star, about 1.5 inches (38 mm) wide. In the middle, there's a smaller bronze star. On the back, it says "HEROIC OR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT". There's also a space to engrave the recipient's name.
The medal hangs from a colorful ribbon. The ribbon is 1.375 inches (35 mm) wide. It has thin white stripes on the edges, wider scarlet (red) stripes, and a blue stripe in the very center.
What special devices can be worn with the medal?
When the Bronze Star Medal is given for heroism, it is one of the highest military awards for bravery. Even if someone earns the medal for bravery multiple times, only one "V" device is worn on the medal's ribbon.
Other small devices can be added to the ribbon to show how many times someone has received the award:
- Oak Leaf Cluster: The Army, Air Force, and Space Force use a small bronze or silver oak leaf cluster to show additional awards.
- 5/16 inch star: The Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard use small gold or silver stars to show additional awards.
- "V" device: This device is worn to show that the medal was awarded for acts of heroism in combat. For the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, it's called the "Combat V" and also recognizes individuals who faced personal danger in combat.
How did the Bronze Star Medal start?
The idea for the Bronze Star Medal came from Colonel Russell P. "Red" Reeder in 1943. He thought it would be good for morale if company commanders could give medals to deserving soldiers. He felt there should be a medal for ground troops, like the Air Medal for airmen.
General George C. Marshall supported the idea. He wrote to President Roosevelt that ground troops, especially infantry, faced very hard conditions and suffered heavy losses. He felt they needed a medal to boost their spirits, especially since airmen had their own medal.
President Roosevelt officially created the Bronze Star Medal on February 4, 1944. The award was made effective starting from December 7, 1941, which was the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Later, in 1962, President John F. Kennedy expanded the rules for the medal. This allowed it to be given to U.S. service members serving with friendly forces in conflicts where the U.S. was not officially at war. This was important for advisors serving in places like Vietnam at the time.
The Bronze Star Medal has been awarded to many Allied soldiers in different wars. This includes soldiers from other countries who fought alongside the U.S. in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and more recent conflicts like the Persian Gulf War and the Iraq War.
Bronze Star for World War II Infantry
After World War II, a special rule was made. Soldiers who had received the Combat Infantryman Badge or the Combat Medical Badge during the war were also given the Bronze Star Medal. This was because these badges recognized the same kind of bravery and hardship that the Bronze Star was created for.
Who are some famous people who received the Bronze Star?
Many notable people, from military leaders to actors and politicians, have received the Bronze Star Medal. Here are a few:
- Joe Medicine Crow, a Crow War Chief and historian.
- Eddie Albert, an actor.
- James Arness, an actor.
- Tony Bennett, a famous singer.
- Rocky Bleier, an NFL football player.
- Bill Bowerman, a coach and co-founder of Nike, Inc.
- Omar Bradley, a top U.S. Army General.
- Edward Brooke, a U.S. Senator.
- Hugh Carey, a Governor of New York State.
- Cordelia E. Cook, the first woman to receive both the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart.
- Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida.
- Bob Dole, a U.S. Senator.
- Henry Fonda, an actor.
- Joseph L. Galloway, a war correspondent.
- Ernest Hemingway, a famous writer and war correspondent.
- Daniel Inouye, a U.S. Senator.
- James L. Jones, a Commandant of the Marine Corps and National Security Advisor.
- John Kerry, a U.S. Secretary of State and Senator.
- Henry Kissinger, a U.S. Secretary of State.
- Douglas MacArthur, a U.S. General of the Army.
- Jim Mattis, a U.S. Secretary of Defense.
- John McCain, a U.S. Senator.
- Glenn Miller, a jazz musician and band leader.
- Hal Moore, a U.S. Army Lieutenant General.
- Peter Pace, a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- George S. Patton, a legendary general.
- Colin Powell, a U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- Lewis B. Puller, a legendary U.S. Marine Corps general.
- Mickey Rooney, an actor.
- Rod Serling, the writer and creator of The Twilight Zone.
- Oliver Stone, a director.
- Pat Tillman, an NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger.
- Lee Van Cleef, an actor.
- Douglas Wilder, a Governor of Virginia.
- Desmond Doss, a combat medic in the Battle of Okinawa.
Images for kids
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Front view of the Bronze Star Medal.
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The ribbon for the Bronze Star Medal.
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The reverse side of the Bronze Star Medal.
See also
In Spanish: Estrella de Bronce para niños
