Identify Military Medals, Badges & Awards
Welcome to identifymedals.com. This is a free educational site that hopes to inform people about military medals, awards, badges, and orders from around the world. I created this website to help people identify medals in their collection and learn more about the stories behind some of the different insignia, orders of knighthood, and other decorations. I hope that, together, we can keep the memory of those who earned them and their actions alive. After all, we are more than medal collectors; we are guardians of history.
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One of a Kind: Amelia Earhart And The Distinguished Flying Cross
Why did Amelia Earhart receive the award (a traditionally a military decoration) in recognition of her 1932 solo transatlantic flight?
Medals for Service in Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Missions
Beyond the battlefield, some medals are awarded for non-combat achievements, such as disaster response, peacekeeping, and medical aid.
D-Day Medals: All Awards From The Invasion of Normandy
Adolf Hitler wore several medals throughout his life, reflecting his military service and political career. Here is the complete list.
Ten Essential Books on the Normandy Invasion (D-Day)
The best books covering the D-Day landings and the larger Battle of Normandy. Strategy, personal narratives, and its impact on WWII.
Medal Makers: Spink & Son (United Kingdom)
A prominent British firm, Spink & Son, was known for producing military medals, including many of the decorations awarded during WWII.
WW1 – The Great War
Years 1914 – 1918
Many military medals were awarded during WW1, or The Great War. Some of the most commonly given include Pip, Squeak, and Wilfred (the affectionate name of three campaign medals), the Victoria Cross, the Distinguish Service Order and Cross, and the Military Cross. You can click on the link below (or any of the displayed medals) to learn more about the different awards given by the countries involved in the First World War.
The Distinguished Service Cross
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second-highest United States Army military award and is given for extreme gallantry and risk of life.
The Silver Star (USA)
The Silver Star Medal is the United States Armed Forces’s third-highest personal decoration for gallantry and valor in combat.
The Iron Cross (EK 1914)
The Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz or EK) is a military decoration established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia in March 1813.
The Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest United Kingdom honors system award. It is given for gallantry in the presence of the enemy.
The Inter Allied Victory Medal (Great Britain)
The Victory Medal (also known as Inter-Allied Victory Medal) is a United Kingdom and British Empire First World War campaign medal.
WW2 – Second World War
Years 1939 – 1945
Similarly, a large number of military medals were given to combatants and people who participated in the Second World War, or WW2. These include the Medal of Honor, the Navy Cross, the 1939-1945 Star, the Pacific Star, and many more. In this section (which you can access from the link or any of the images below), you will find all the medals awarded during World War II by all the countries involved in the conflict.
The Dunkirk Medal
The Dunkirk Medal is an unofficial commemorative medal established om 1 May 1960 and created by the town of Dunkirk for the area’s defense.
The Coburg Badge
The Coburg Badge (Das Coburger Abzeichen in German) was the first badge recognized as a national award of the Nazi Party or NSDAP.
The German Cross (Nazi-Germany)
The German Cross (Deutsches Kreuz) was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941 and awarded in gold and silver.
The Pacific Star
The Pacific Star is a British military campaign medal instituted by the United Kingdom in 1945 for those who served in the Pacific Campaign.
The 1939-1945 Star
The 1939–1945 Star is a military campaign medal instituted by the United Kingdom on 8 July 1943 for operational service overseas.
