Tiffany Cross Medal of Honor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tiffany Cross Medal of Honor |
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1919–1942 Navy "Tiffany Cross" pattern
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| Type | Medal (Decoration) |
| Eligibility | US Navy and Marine Corps personnel, 1917–1942 |
| Awarded for | Gallantry and intrepidity in actual conflict at the risk of one's life above and beyond the call of duty |
| Status | Obsolete 7 August 1942 |
| Description | Modified cross pattée |
| Motto | VALOUR |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 4 February 1919 (retroactive to 6 April 1917) |
| Precedence | |
| Equivalent | Medal of Honor |
| Next (lower) | Navy Distinguished Service Medal |
 Details of the Tiffany Cross |
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The Tiffany Cross Medal of Honor was a special version of the Medal of Honor given by the U.S. Navy. It was created right after World War I to honor two kinds of bravery. One was for bravery in combat, and the other was for bravery in a sailor's regular duties.
The original Medal of Honor looked like an upside-down star. This star was used for non-combat heroism. A new cross-shaped medal was designed by the Tiffany Company in 1919. This new medal was meant for sailors or Marines who showed "gallantry and intrepidity" (great bravery and fearlessness) during actual battles. They had to risk their lives far beyond what was expected. This new cross-shaped medal became known as the Tiffany Cross.
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What the Tiffany Cross Looked Like
The Tiffany Cross hung from a light blue ribbon with 13 white stars. At the top of the ribbon was a bar with the word "VALOUR" on it.
The medal itself was a gold cross shape, placed over a wreath made of oak and laurel leaves. Each arm of the cross had an old-fashioned anchor design. In the middle of the cross was an eight-sided shape. It said "UNITED STATES NAVY" at the top and "1917·1918" at the bottom. The very center of this shape showed the Great Seal of the United States. The back of the medal was flat, perfect for engraving names or messages. Many medals given to heroes had special messages carved into them.
Why the Tiffany Cross Was Created
On February 4, 1919, the U.S. Congress passed a law that created the Tiffany Cross. This same law also created other important awards like the Navy Cross and the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.
The law stated that the President could give this Medal of Honor to any person in the Navy who, during a real fight with the enemy, showed amazing bravery and courage. They had to risk their lives far beyond their normal duties. The Tiffany Company designed this medal. Even though it was created in 1919, it could be given for brave actions that happened as early as April 6, 1917, when the United States joined World War I.
When the Rules Were Not Followed
Even though the Tiffany Cross was supposed to be for "actual conflict" (real battles), it was sometimes given for other brave actions. For example, Floyd Bennett and Richard Byrd received it for their brave flights exploring the Arctic. John Siegel got one for a rescue at sea. This shows that the rules for giving out the Tiffany Cross were not always followed strictly.
Why the Tiffany Cross Was Not Popular
The Tiffany Cross was not very popular. One reason might have been that it looked a lot like the German Iron Cross, which was an enemy medal during World War I.
Many people who received the Tiffany Cross, like Richard E. Byrd, asked for and wore the older, star-shaped Medal of Honor instead. Byrd received his Tiffany Cross in 1927, but then received the classic star-shaped Medal of Honor in 1930. We don't know exactly why he wanted the change.
In 1942, the Navy decided to go back to using only the original 1862 star-shaped design for the Medal of Honor. They also stopped giving out the medal for non-combat actions.
Other Awards at the Time
When the Tiffany Cross was being given out, the next highest naval award was the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, followed by the Navy Cross. On August 7, 1942, the same day the Tiffany Cross was stopped, Congress changed the order of these awards. The Navy Cross became a higher award, and it also became an award given only for combat bravery.
Who Received the Tiffany Cross
The U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command believes that 28 sailors and Marines received the Tiffany Cross. However, after looking at many records like photos, museum displays, and newspaper stories, it is believed that 22 people actually received this specific version of the Medal of Honor.
At least three of these recipients (Byrd, Bennett, and Siegel) received the Tiffany Cross for actions that were not in combat.
List of Recipients
Lavender background means the Medal of Honor was given after the person died (posthumously).
| Image | Name | Service | Date of Action | Combat | What They Did |
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Osmond K. Ingram † | Navy | 15 October 1917 | Yes | Ingram died trying to release depth charges when a torpedo was coming. His action was in a real battle. |
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Alexander G. Lyle | Navy, Dental Corps | 23 April 1918 | Yes | Lyle went into enemy fire to help a wounded man. He was in a real battle. |
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Daniel A. J. Sullivan | Naval Reserve | 21 May 1918 | Yes | Sullivan secured dangerous depth charges. He was in a real battle. |
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Edouard V. M. Izac | Navy | 21 May 1918 | Yes | Izac gathered important information while a prisoner of war, then escaped and brought it to his side. |
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Ernest A. Janson | Marine Corps | 6 June 1918 | Yes | Janson attacked and scattered an enemy machine gun group by himself. He was in a real battle. |
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Weedon E. Osborne † | Navy, Dental Corps | 6 June 1918 | Yes | Osborne died while saving wounded men under heavy enemy fire. |
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Orlando H. Petty | Naval Reserve, Medical Corps | 11 June 1918 | Yes | Petty helped wounded soldiers despite artillery and gas attacks, even after his own gas mask broke. |
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Louis Cukela | Marine Corps | 18 July 1918 | Yes | Cukela attacked and captured a German strongpoint by himself. |
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Matej Kocak † | Marine Corps | 18 July 1918 | Yes | Kocak silenced a machine gun nest by himself and led a successful attack on another. He was in a real battle. |
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Joel T. Boone | Navy, Medical Corps | 19 July 1918 | Yes | Boone went into heavy fire to treat the wounded and bring supplies. |
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Charles H. Hammann | Navy | 21 August 1918 | Yes | Hammann rescued another pilot whose plane had been shot down. He was in a real battle. |
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David E. Hayden | Navy | 15 September 1918 | Yes | Hayden reached a wounded man, treated him, and carried him to safety despite heavy fire. He was in a real battle. |
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John J. Kelly | Marine Corps | 3 October 1918 | Yes | Kelly attacked a machine gun nest by himself during an artillery attack. |
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John H. Pruitt † | Marine Corps | 3 October 1918 | Yes | Pruitt captured two machine guns and forty prisoners by himself. He was in a real battle. |
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James J. Madison | Naval Reserve | 4 October 1918 | Yes | Madison kept leading his ship even after being badly wounded during a U-boat attack. |
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John H. Balch | Naval Reserve | 5 October 1918 | Yes | Balch went into heavy fire to treat the wounded and set up a medical station. He was in a real battle. |
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Robert G. Robinson | Marine Corps | 14 October 1918 | Yes | Robinson kept firing his weapon after being badly wounded in an air battle against twelve German planes. |
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Ralph Talbot † | Marine Corps | 14 October 1918 | Yes | Talbot, with his gunner Robert G. Robinson, shot down one plane in an air battle against twelve German aircraft. He was in a real battle. |
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John O. Siegel | Navy | 1 November 1918 | No | Siegel rescued two men from a burning ship before he was trapped and collapsed from smoke. |
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Floyd Bennett | Navy | 9 May 1926 | No | Bennett received his award for being part of what was believed to be the first successful flight to the North Pole and back. |
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Richard E. Byrd | Navy | 9 May 1926 | No | Byrd received his award for leading what was believed to be the first successful flight to the North Pole and back. |
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Frank Schilt | Marine Corps | 8 January 1928 | Yes | Schilt flew wounded Marines out of danger by plane while under enemy fire. |
See Also
