Dewey Medal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Manila Bay or "Dewey" Medal |
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| Type | Commemorative medal |
| Eligibility | Officers and men of the ships of the Asiatic Squadron of the United States under the command of Commodore George Dewey |
| Awarded for | Participation in the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898 |
| Status | Obsolete |
| Statistics | |
| Established | June 3, 1898 |
| Order of Wear (1972) | |
| Next (higher) | Organized Marine Corps Reserve Medal |
| Next (lower) | Sampson Medal |
  Reverse and ribbon of the medal |
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The Dewey Medal is a special award from the United States Navy. It's also called the Battle of Manila Bay Medal. The United States Congress created this medal on June 3, 1898. It was made to honor Admiral of the Navy George Dewey. It also recognized the brave Sailors and Marines who served under him. This medal was given for their actions during the Spanish–American War.
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What is the Dewey Medal?
The Dewey Medal is a military award. It was given to people who fought in the Battle of Manila Bay. This important battle happened on May 1, 1898. The medal honored the U.S. Navy and United States Marine Corps members. They had to be on certain ships during the battle to receive it.
Who Received the Medal?
About 1,848 Navy and Marine Corps members could get this medal. They served on these ships during the battle:
- USS Baltimore
- USS Boston
- USS Concord
- USRC McCulloch
- USS Olympia
- USS Petrel
- USS Raleigh
Two other ships, USS Nanshan and USS Zafiro, were part of Dewey's group. They helped support the operation. However, their crews were not eligible for the medal. This was likely because these ships were not directly involved in the fighting. Also, they were civilian ships at that time. They were bought to help the Navy.
A Special Award
The Dewey Medal was a one-time award. There were no extra pins or stars for it. Admiral Dewey himself received the medal. He was a humble person. He often wore his medal showing the back side. The back showed a sailor sitting on a gun.
Admiral Dewey was one of only four Americans to wear a medal with their own picture on it. The others were Rear Admiral William T. Sampson, Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, and General of the Armies John J. Pershing.
The Dewey Medal was given for active military duty. But it was also a "commemorative" medal. This means it celebrated a single important event. When worn on a uniform, it was considered more important than the Sampson Medal. However, no one received both medals.
The Dewey Medal is quite rare. Fewer than 2,000 of these medals were made. This is a very small number compared to other awards. For example, the Medal of Honor has been given out over 3,500 times.
What the Medal Looks Like
A famous artist named Daniel Chester French designed this medal. He also created the large statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial. The medal was made by Tiffany & Co..
The medal is round and hangs from a blue and yellow ribbon.
- The front, or obverse, shows a picture of Commodore George Dewey.
- The back, or reverse, has the name of the ship the person served on.
- The name and rank of the person who received the medal are carved on the bottom edge. This was one of the few military medals officially named to the person who earned it.
Special Facts About the Medal
The Dewey Medal was a unique award. It was given only once and did not have any extra devices or stars. The medal itself is round. It shows a picture of Admiral George Dewey on the front. It hangs from a blue and yellow ribbon.
Admiral Dewey also received this medal. But he was a very humble person. He always wore his medal with the back side showing. The back of the medal shows a sailor sitting on a cannon.
Dewey was one of only four Americans to wear a medal with their own image on it. The others were Rear Admiral William T. Sampson, Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, and General of the Armies John J. Pershing.
The Dewey Medal was given for active military duty. However, it was also a "commemorative" medal. This means it celebrated a single important event. It is one of the rarest U.S. military awards. Fewer people received it than the Medal of Honor. Only 1,825 Dewey Medals were made. Each medal had the recipient's name and rank engraved on its edge. The name of their ship was engraved on the back.
