United States of America: American Defense Service Medal 1939-1941, old striking with medium bronze finish to planchet, complete with original ribbon and slot brooch, and probably manufactured by the American Emblem Company in the 9 December 1945 contract.
Condition: Good Very Fine.
Instituted on 28 June 1941, the medal was intended to recognise those military service members who had served on active duty between September 8, 1939, and December 7, 1941.
The medal is authorized to military members who served on active duty between President Roosevelt's declaration of a limited national emergency on September 8, 1939, and the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Members of the United States Army, to include those in the Organised Reserve and National Guard, received this medal for any length of service during the eligibility period, provided that they were on orders to active duty for a period of twelve months or longer. The United States Navy excluded those reservists who were on active duty for less than ten days during the eligibility period, but otherwise the Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard awarded the medal to all personnel who served on active duty at any time during the eligibility period, Regular or Reservist, provided they passed their initial physical examinations, such as in the case of those Reservists called back to extended active duty prior to the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, or enlisted recruits or officer candidates who entered the Navy or Marine Corps during the same period.
