Korea Medal
Encyclopedia
The Korea Medal sometimes referred to as the Queen's Korea Medal to distinguish it from the United Nations Service Medal
, was a campaign medal
created in 1951 to recognize troops from the various Commonwealth realm
s, except South Africa
, who had given either one day's service (one sortie) in Korea
or 28 days offshore during the Korean War
. The medal was physically identical in all realms where it was awarded, save for Canada
, where it contained unique elements. As an internationally distributed award, the Korea Medal holds a different place in each country's order of precedence for honours.
(UN) armed forces took on a combat role in suppressing aggression, seeing the participation of 20 UN member states, as well as the Republic of Korea
and Italy
, in a multinational effort
to stop the North Korea
n takeover of the Republic of Korea. The Korea Medal was created in 1951 to recognize specifically members of the militia from King George VI
's various states at the time that participated in the Korean conflict; namely, Australia
, Canada
, New Zealand
, and the United Kingdom
. South Africa
, however, produced its own version of the Korea Medal
.
, the Korea Medal is in the form of a 38 millimetres (1.5 in) diameter cupro-nickel
disc
with, on the obverse, the words ELIZABETH II DEI GRA. BRITT. OMN. REGINA F.D. (Latin abbreviation for: Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God Queen of All the Britons, Defender of the Faith) surrounding an effigy
of Queen Elizabeth II, symbolizing her roles as both fount of honour
and Commander-in-Chief
of her various forces. At the time of the medal's creation, King George VI
was King of each of the Commonwealth realms, and his effigy was to have appeared on the Korea Medal. However, he died on 6 February 1952, and so the image of his daughter was placed on the obverse of the medal, uncrowned, as per custom for sovereigns prior to their coronation
. On the reverse is a depiction of Hercules
wrestling the Hydra
a symbolic representation of communism
with the word KOREA below. The Canadian version was identical, except it was made of .800
fine silver
, and bore on the obverse the words ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA CANADA (Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God Queen of Canada). The recipient's name and regimental number was engraved on the medal's rim.
This medallion is worn on the left chest, suspended from a bar on a 31.8 millimetres (1.3 in) wide ribbon with five vertical stripes in alternating yellow and blue, the latter representing the United Nations. No medal bar
s were available, instead a single bronze oak leaf emblem was issued to signify a Mentioned in Despatches, which was worn pinned to the same ribbon from which the medal was hung.
between 2 July 1950 and 27 July 1953. To receive the medal, navy personnel were required to complete either 28 days aboard ship in the operational areas of the Yellow Sea
or the Sea of Japan
, or at least one day of shore duty; air force personnel needed to complete one operational sortie over the peninsula or the surrounding seas, or meet the same requirements as naval personnel; and army personnel must have undertaken a minimum of one day's service on the strength of a unit serving in Korea. Any military members who had made an official visit to the region for a period of no less than 30 days were also eligible for the medal, as were those who hadn't fulfilled the requirements due to injury or death in combat. In some countries, civilians in the Red Cross, Order of St. John Voluntary Aid Detachment
, Salvation Army
, or YMCA
could receive the Korea Medal, per navy requirements if they served aboard a hospital ship, or per army requirements if they were stationed on land.
Some 15,000 Korea Medals were issued to Canadian personnel, amongst which 33 members of the Royal Canadian Navy
and 248 individuals in the Canadian Army were granted oak leaves to pin to their Korea Medal ribbons. All persons awarded the Korea Medal also automatically received the United Nations Service Medal for Korea
. The South Korean government offered to all UN militia the Korean War Service Medal
, though regulations at the time did not permit persons from the Commonwealth realms (as well as the United States
) to accept the decoration; in 2001, Queen Elizabeth II, as Queen of New Zealand, approved the issuance of the Korean War Services Medal to all New Zealanders who had previously received the Korea Medal.
United Nations Service Medal
The United Nations Service Medal for Korea is an international military decoration which was established by the United Nations on December 12, 1950...
, was a campaign medal
Campaign medal
A campaign medal is a military decoration which is awarded to a member of the military who serves in a designated military operation or performs duty in a geographical theater...
created in 1951 to recognize troops from the various Commonwealth realm
Commonwealth Realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
s, except South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, who had given either one day's service (one sortie) in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
or 28 days offshore during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. The medal was physically identical in all realms where it was awarded, save for Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where it contained unique elements. As an internationally distributed award, the Korea Medal holds a different place in each country's order of precedence for honours.
History
The Korean War was the first event wherein United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
(UN) armed forces took on a combat role in suppressing aggression, seeing the participation of 20 UN member states, as well as the Republic of Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, in a multinational effort
United Nations Security Council Resolution 84
The United Nations Security Council Resolution 84 was adopted on July 7, 1950. Having determined that the attack on the Republic of Korea by the forces from North Korea constituted a breach of the peace, the Council recommended that the members of the United Nations furnish such assistance to the...
to stop the North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n takeover of the Republic of Korea. The Korea Medal was created in 1951 to recognize specifically members of the militia from King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
's various states at the time that participated in the Korean conflict; namely, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, however, produced its own version of the Korea Medal
Korea Medal (South African)
The Korea Medal was a military campaign medal of the Union of South Africa. It was issued to South African volunteers who served in the Korean War between 1950 and 1953.-Description:The medal is silver in color 36 mm in diameter...
.
Design
Designed by Edward Carter PrestonEdward Carter Preston
Edward Carter Preston was an English artist, born in Liverpool. He was a renowned sculptor and medallist. The artist designed the bronze memorial plaques presented to the families of British servicemen and women who died during the First World War...
, the Korea Medal is in the form of a 38 millimetres (1.5 in) diameter cupro-nickel
Cupronickel
Cupronickel or copper-nickel or "cupernickel" is an alloy of copper that contains nickel and strengthening elements, such as iron and manganese. Cupronickel is highly resistant to corrosion in seawater, because its electrode potential is adjusted to be neutral with regard to seawater...
disc
Disk (mathematics)
In geometry, a disk is the region in a plane bounded by a circle.A disk is said to be closed or open according to whether or not it contains the circle that constitutes its boundary...
with, on the obverse, the words ELIZABETH II DEI GRA. BRITT. OMN. REGINA F.D. (Latin abbreviation for: Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God Queen of All the Britons, Defender of the Faith) surrounding an effigy
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
of Queen Elizabeth II, symbolizing her roles as both fount of honour
Fount of honour
The fount of honour refers to a nation's head of state, who, by virtue of his or her official position, has the exclusive right of conferring legitimate titles of nobility and orders of chivalry to other persons.- Origin :...
and Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of her various forces. At the time of the medal's creation, King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
was King of each of the Commonwealth realms, and his effigy was to have appeared on the Korea Medal. However, he died on 6 February 1952, and so the image of his daughter was placed on the obverse of the medal, uncrowned, as per custom for sovereigns prior to their coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
. On the reverse is a depiction of Hercules
Hercules
Hercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
wrestling the Hydra
Lernaean Hydra
In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra was an ancient nameless serpent-like chthonic water beast, with reptilian traits, that possessed many heads — the poets mention more heads than the vase-painters could paint, and for each head cut off it grew two more — and poisonous breath so virulent even...
a symbolic representation of communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
with the word KOREA below. The Canadian version was identical, except it was made of .800
Millesimal fineness
Millesimal fineness is a system of denoting the purity of platinum, gold and silver alloys by parts per thousand of pure metal by mass in the alloy. For example, an alloy containing 75% gold is denoted as "750". Many European countries use decimal hallmark stamps Millesimal fineness is a system of...
fine silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, and bore on the obverse the words ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA CANADA (Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God Queen of Canada). The recipient's name and regimental number was engraved on the medal's rim.
This medallion is worn on the left chest, suspended from a bar on a 31.8 millimetres (1.3 in) wide ribbon with five vertical stripes in alternating yellow and blue, the latter representing the United Nations. No medal bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
s were available, instead a single bronze oak leaf emblem was issued to signify a Mentioned in Despatches, which was worn pinned to the same ribbon from which the medal was hung.
Eligibility and presentation
Members of the Commonwealth realms' armed forces, aside from those from South Africa, were granted the Korea Medal for active service in the theatre of the Korean PeninsulaKorean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
between 2 July 1950 and 27 July 1953. To receive the medal, navy personnel were required to complete either 28 days aboard ship in the operational areas of the Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
or the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
, or at least one day of shore duty; air force personnel needed to complete one operational sortie over the peninsula or the surrounding seas, or meet the same requirements as naval personnel; and army personnel must have undertaken a minimum of one day's service on the strength of a unit serving in Korea. Any military members who had made an official visit to the region for a period of no less than 30 days were also eligible for the medal, as were those who hadn't fulfilled the requirements due to injury or death in combat. In some countries, civilians in the Red Cross, Order of St. John Voluntary Aid Detachment
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
, Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
, or YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
could receive the Korea Medal, per navy requirements if they served aboard a hospital ship, or per army requirements if they were stationed on land.
Some 15,000 Korea Medals were issued to Canadian personnel, amongst which 33 members of the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
and 248 individuals in the Canadian Army were granted oak leaves to pin to their Korea Medal ribbons. All persons awarded the Korea Medal also automatically received the United Nations Service Medal for Korea
United Nations Service Medal
The United Nations Service Medal for Korea is an international military decoration which was established by the United Nations on December 12, 1950...
. The South Korean government offered to all UN militia the Korean War Service Medal
Korean War Service Medal
The Korean War Service Medal is a decoration of South Korea which was first authorized in December 1950...
, though regulations at the time did not permit persons from the Commonwealth realms (as well as the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) to accept the decoration; in 2001, Queen Elizabeth II, as Queen of New Zealand, approved the issuance of the Korean War Services Medal to all New Zealanders who had previously received the Korea Medal.
Precedence in each realm
Some orders of precedence are as follows:| Country | Preceding | Following |
 AustraliaAustralia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... Order of precedence Australian Honours Order of Precedence - Order of wear :Order of precedence for the wearing of decorations and awards within the Australian Honours System.Articles marked with * are awards of the British Empire/United Kingdom and are now considered foreign.... |
Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975 | United Nations Korea Medal |
 CanadaCanada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... Order of precedence Canadian order of precedence (Decorations and Medals) The following is the Canadian order of precedence for decorations and medals. Where applicable, post-nominal letters are indicated.-Awards of valour:-National orders:-Provincial orders:-National decorations:-National medals:... |
Sacrifice Medal Sacrifice Medal The Sacrifice Medal is a decoration that was created in 2008 as a replacement for the Wound Stripe, being gifted by the Canadian monarch, generally through his or her viceroy-in-Council, to members of the Canadian Forces or allied forces who were wounded or killed in action.-Design:The Sacrifice... |
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea was a campaign medal created in 1991 by the Canadian monarch-in-Council to recognize former members of the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, and Royal Canadian Air Force who had volunteered to participate in the Korean War, either on the Korean... |
| New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... Order of precedence New Zealand Honours Order of Precedence - Order of Precedence :Order of precedence for the wearing of decorations and awards within New Zealand's honours system.Medals in bold are distinctly New Zealand awards.-Special awards:* Victoria Cross for New Zealand VC* George Cross GC... |
New Zealand Service Medal 1946-1949 New Zealand Service Medal 1946 - 1949 The New Zealand Service Medal 1946–1949 was a New Zealand campaign medal for service in Occupied Japan at the end of World War II.The medal was instituted in 1995 to recognise New Zealand military personnel who served in the occupation forces in Japan between March 1946 and March 1949... |
Naval General Service Medal 1915-1962 |
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... Order of precedence Order of precedence in England and Wales The Order of precedence in England and Wales as of 11 May 2010:Names in italics indicate higher precedence elsewhere in the table or precedence in the table for the other sex.- Royal Family :* The Sovereign , regardless of gender... |
Newfoundland Volunteer War Service Medal Newfoundland Volunteer War Service Medal The Newfoundland Volunteer War Service Medal was issued to those from Newfoundland & Labrador who served in the British Forces outside of the province... |
General Service Medal (1962) General Service Medal (1962) The General Service Medal , was introduced in 1962 to combine the General Service Medal , as awarded to the Army and RAF, and the Naval General Service Medal... |
See also
- Korea Medal (South Africa)
- Australian campaign medalsAustralian campaign medalsAustralian campaign medals in order of precedence as defined in references below. Those campaign medals which have been independently issued by Australia to its armed forces are in bold.-South African War:* Queen's South Africa Medal...
- British campaign medalsBritish campaign medalsBritish campaign medals are awarded to members of the British Armed Forces, Allied forces and civilians participating in specified military campaigns...
- New Zealand campaign medalsNew Zealand campaign medalsPrior to 1946 the New Zealand armed forces received honours of the United Kingdom, including military decorations and campaign medals. Since the end of World War 2 there have been constant moves towards an independent New Zealand honours system...
- Canadian order of precedence (decorations and medals)Canadian order of precedence (Decorations and Medals)The following is the Canadian order of precedence for decorations and medals. Where applicable, post-nominal letters are indicated.-Awards of valour:-National orders:-Provincial orders:-National decorations:-National medals:...