- Time Period: Second World War
- Institution: 1942
- Country: United States
The Legion of Merit (or LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces given to members of the seven uniformed services of the U.S. and to military and political figures of foreign governments for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. It is typically awarded to Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force general officers and colonels, and Navy and Coast Guard flag officers and captains occupying senior command or very senior staff positions. Instances for officers of lesser rank are rare.
The award was created in December 24, 1941, when the Adjutant General formally requested action be initiated to create a Meritorious Service Medal and provide designs for the decoration. These were prepared by Bailey, Banks, and Biddle and given to Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel by the QMG on January 5, 1942. An act of Congress (Public Law 671—77th Congress) established the Legion of Merit on July 20, 1942.
The Legion of Merit is seventh in the order of precedence of all U.S. military awards and the only U.S. military decoration that may be issued in award degrees. It’s also one of only two U.S. military decorations to be issued as a neck order (the other being the Medal of Honor). It is worn after the Defense Superior Service Medal and before the Distinguished Flying Cross.
The Legion of Merit in History
During the Second World War, Brazilian Army Brigadier General Amaro Soares Bittencourt became the first person awarded the Legion of Merit (Commander) in October 1942. A week later, Lieutenant, junior grade Ann A. Bernatitus, a U.S. Navy Nurse Corps officer, became the first woman and the first member of the United States Armed Forces to receive the Legion of Merit. A year later, General Dwight D. Eisenhower was presented the Legion of Merit by President Roosevelt on November 26.
From 1942 to 1944, the Legion of Merit was awarded for a wide range of achievements, because it was the only decoration below the Silver Star, awarded for combat valor, and the Distinguished Service Medal for meritorious noncombat service. That was, until the Bronze Star Medal was established in 1944.
After World War II, the Legion of Merit was awarded almost exclusively to senior officers in the rank Lieutenant Colonel (Army, Marine Corps and Air Force) or Commander (Navy and Coast Guard) (O-5), and above. In 1969, the Meritorious Service Medal was established as a junior version of the Legion of Merit.
The Legion of Merit Classes
- Chief Commander: For Heads of state or government.
- Commander: For the equivalent of a U.S. military chief of staff or higher position.
- Officer: For Generals or flag officers below the equivalent of a U.S. military chief of staff; colonels or equivalent rank or military attachés.
- Legionnaire: For all recipients not included above.
The Legion of Merit Design
Medal Obverse
The Chief Commander Degree of the Legion of Merit Medal is, on a wreath of green laurel joined at the bottom by a gold bow-knot (rosette), a domed five-pointed white star bordered crimson, points reversed with v-shaped extremities tipped with a gold ball. In the center, a blue disk encircled by gold clouds, with 13 white stars arranged in the pattern that appears on the Great Seal of the United States. Between each point, within the wreath are crossed arrows pointing outwards. The overall width is 2 15⁄16 inches (75 mm).[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
The Commander Degree of the Legion of Merit Medal has a width of 2 1⁄4 inches (57 mm). In the center, a disk for engraving the name of the recipient surrounded by the words “ANNUIT COEPTIS MDCCLXXXII.” An outer scroll contains the words “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”
Medal Reverse
The reverse of all of the medals has the motto taken from the Great Seal of the United States, “ANNUIT COEPTIS” (“He [God] has favored our undertakings“) and the date “MDCCLXXXII” (1782), which is the date of America’s first decoration, the Badge of Military Merit, now known as the Purple Heart. The ribbon design also follows the pattern of the Purple Heart ribbon.
Ribbon
The ribbon for all of the decorations is 1 3⁄8 inches (35 mm) wide and consists of the following stripes: 1⁄16 inch (1.6 mm) white; center 1 1⁄4 inches (32 mm) crimson; and 1⁄16 inch (1.6 mm) white.
The Chief Commander Degree, a miniature of the decoration in gold on a horizontal gold bar is worn on the service ribbon. One in silver on a horizontal silver bar is worn on the service ribbon for the Commander Degree.
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