Obsolete military awards of the United States are United States military awards

Awards and decorations of the United States military

Awards and decorations of the United States Military are military decorations which recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the United States armed forces...

 which have been officially removed from U.S. military award precedence charts and are listed as "Obsolete Military Decorations" in military award publications and instructions.

Typically, the U.S. military will declare a decoration obsolete twenty to thirty years after its last issuance to an active duty member of the military or, in the case of medals designed for members of the reserve forces, a drilling reservist attending annual training. Medals for valor (such as the Medal of Honor

Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...

 and Silver Star

Silver Star

The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....

) are rarely declared obsolete regardless of the amount of time which has passed since the last issuance. This is since such medals could be reinstated, on very short notice, in the event of an armed conflict in which the United States armed forces would be called to service.

Although United States service medals of the World Wars

United States service medals of the World Wars

United States service medals of the World Wars are U.S. military decorations which were created solely for service in the First World War and World War II...

 have also been declared obsolete by the U.S. military, many may still be found in various charts, publications, and instructions. This is since a large number of veterans still display such medals as retirement awards or through functions and ceremonies with various veteran groups such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars

Veterans of Foreign Wars

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...

 and the American Legion

American Legion

The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...

.

The following decorations have been declared obsolete with most such decorations indicating service in military operations prior to 1935.

Army service

Awards and decorations of the United States Army

Awards and decorations of the United States Army are those military decorations which are issued to members of the United States Army under the authority of the Secretary of the Army. Together with military badges such awards provide an outward display of a service member's accomplishments.The...

Certificate of Merit Medal Certificate of Merit Medal The Certificate of Merit Medal was a military decoration of the United States Army that was issued between the years of 1905 and 1918. The Certificate of Merit Medal was a military decoration which replaced the much older "Certificate of Merit" which had first been issued by the U.S...

Civil War Campaign Medal Civil War Campaign Medal The Civil War Campaign Medal is considered the first campaign service medal of the United States military. The decoration was awarded to members of the United States military who had served in the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865.-Establishment:...	Indian Campaign Medal Indian Campaign Medal The Indian Campaign Medal is a decoration established by War Department General Orders 12, 1907. The medal was retroactively awarded to any soldier of the U.S...	Spanish Campaign Medal Spanish Campaign Medal The Spanish Campaign Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which recognized those members of the U.S. military who had served in the Spanish-American War. Although a single decoration, there were two versions of the Spanish Campaign Medal, one for members of the United...	Spanish War Service Medal Spanish War Service Medal The Spanish War Service Medal was a military decoration of the United States Army which was established by an act of the U.S. Congress on July 9, 1918...

Army of Cuban Occupation Medal Army of Cuban Occupation Medal The Army of Cuban Occupation Medal was a military award which was created by the United States War Department in June 1915. The medal recognizes those service members who performed garrison occupation duty in Cuba, following the close of the Spanish-American War.To be awarded the Army of Cuban...	Army of Cuban Pacification Medal Army of Cuban Pacification Medal The Army of Cuban Pacification Medal is a military award of the United States Army which was created by orders of the United States War Department on May 11, 1909...	Army of Puerto Rican Occupation Medal Army of Puerto Rican Occupation Medal The Army of Puerto Rican Occupation Medal was a military decoration of the United States Army which was created by an act of the United States War Department on February 4, 1919....

Philippine Campaign Medal Philippine Campaign Medal The Philippine Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces which was created to denote service of U.S. military members in the Philippine-American War between the years of 1899 and 1913. Although a single service medal, the Philippine Campaign Medal was issued under...	Philippine Congressional Medal Philippine Congressional Medal The Philippine Congressional Medal was a decoration of the United States Army which was established by the United States Congress on July 9, 1906. The decoration recognized those soldiers who had enlisted in the United States Army for the purpose of the Philippine-American War...	China Campaign Medal China Campaign Medal The China Campaign Medal is a decoration of the United States Army which was created by order of the United States War Department on January 12, 1905...	Mexican Service Medal Mexican Service Medal The Mexican Service Medal is an award of the United States military which was established by General Orders of the United States War Department on December 12, 1917...	Mexican Border Service Medal Mexican Border Service Medal The Mexican Border Service Medal was a decoration of the United States military which was established by an act of the United States Congress on July 9, 1918...

Army Wound Ribbon Army Wound Ribbon The Army Wound Ribbon was a short lived decoration of the United States Army which was created on September 6, 1917 to recognize those soldiers who had received combat wounds during World War I...

Navy and Marine Corps service

Military awards of the United States Department of the Navy

Military awards of the United States Department of the Navy are those military decorations which are presented to members of the United States Navy and U.S. Marine Corps under the authority of the Secretary of the Navy....

Marine Corps Brevet Medal Marine Corps Brevet Medal The Marine Corps Brevet Medal, also known as the Brevet Medal, was a military decoration of the United States Marine Corps; it was created in 1921 as a result of Marine Corps Order Number 26. The decoration was a one-time issuance and retroactively recognized living Marine Corps officers who had...	Specially Meritorious Service Medal Specially Meritorious Service Medal The Specially Meritorious Service Medal was a military decoration of the United States Navy which was created in 1898 by order of the United States Congress...

Civil War Campaign Medal Civil War Campaign Medal The Civil War Campaign Medal is considered the first campaign service medal of the United States military. The decoration was awarded to members of the United States military who had served in the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865.-Establishment:...	Spanish Campaign Medal Spanish Campaign Medal The Spanish Campaign Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which recognized those members of the U.S. military who had served in the Spanish-American War. Although a single decoration, there were two versions of the Spanish Campaign Medal, one for members of the United...	Philippine Campaign Medal Philippine Campaign Medal The Philippine Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces which was created to denote service of U.S. military members in the Philippine-American War between the years of 1899 and 1913. Although a single service medal, the Philippine Campaign Medal was issued under...	Mexican Service Medal Mexican Service Medal The Mexican Service Medal is an award of the United States military which was established by General Orders of the United States War Department on December 12, 1917...	West Indies Campaign Medal West Indies Campaign Medal The West Indies Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States Navy and Marine Corps which was issued for service in the West Indies campaign theater of the Spanish-American War. The decoration was established on June 27, 1908 and the first recipient of the award was Rear Admiral...

China Relief Expedition Medal China Relief Expedition Medal The China Relief Expedition Medal was a decoration of the United States military which was issued to members of both the United States Navy and the United States Marines for service in the China Relief Expedition between 1900 and 1901 during the Boxer Rebellion. The medal was authorized by General...	China Service Medal China Service Medal The China Service Medal was a military medal awarded to U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel. The medal was instituted on August 23, 1940 and featured a yellow ribbon with narrow red edge stripes...	Yangtze Service Medal Yangtze Service Medal The Yangtze Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created in 1930 for presentation to members of the U.S. Navy and United States Marine Corps...	Dominican Campaign Medal Dominican Campaign Medal The Dominican Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy which was created on December 29, 1921. The medal recognizes service performed by the Navy, and the United States Marine Corps, in the Dominican Republic in the year 1916....	Nicaraguan Campaign Medal (1912) Nicaraguan Campaign Medal The Nicaraguan Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy which was authorized by Presidential Order of Woodrow Wilson on September 22, 1913. The medal was again authorized by an act of the United States Congress on November 8, 1929...

Nicaraguan Campaign Medal (1933) Nicaraguan Campaign Medal The Nicaraguan Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy which was authorized by Presidential Order of Woodrow Wilson on September 22, 1913. The medal was again authorized by an act of the United States Congress on November 8, 1929...	Haitian Campaign Medal (1917) Haitian Campaign Medal The Haitian Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States Navy which was issued in the year 1917 and again in the year 1921. The decoration was intended for service members of both the Navy and Marine Corps who had participated in Haitian peacekeeping actions between the years of...	Haitian Campaign Medal (1921) Haitian Campaign Medal The Haitian Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States Navy which was issued in the year 1917 and again in the year 1921. The decoration was intended for service members of both the Navy and Marine Corps who had participated in Haitian peacekeeping actions between the years of...	Naval Reserve Medal Naval Reserve Medal The Naval Reserve Medal is a decoration of the United States Navy which was created by order of Secretary of the Navy James Paulding. The medal was first issued on September 12, 1938 and was an active decoration until 1958. On September 12, 1958, the Naval Reserve Medal was declared discontinued...

Navy Fleet Marine Force Ribbon Fleet Marine Force Ribbon Correctly, the Navy Fleet Marine Force Ribbon, is a decoration of the United States Navy established in 1984 by Secretary of the Navy John F. Lehman, Jr. It was awarded to eligible Navy personnel serving with the Marines between 1984 and 2006...	Marine Corps Reserve Ribbon Marine Corps Reserve Ribbon The Marine Corps Reserve Ribbon is a decoration of the United States Marine Corps which was issued between the dates of the December 17, 1945 and December 17, 1965...	Reserve Special Commendation Ribbon Reserve Special Commendation Ribbon The Reserve Special Commendation Ribbon was a decoration of the United States Navy which was authorized for issuance between the years of 1930 and 1941. The ribbon was established by order of Secretary of the Navy James V...
Distinguished Marksman and Pistol Shot Ribbon Distinguished Marksmanship Ribbon The Distinguished Marksmanship Ribbon was a military decoration of the United States Navy which was established in 1942. Originally known as the Distinguished Marksman and Pistol Shot Ribbon, the decoration recognized those who had been presented a Distinguished Marksman Badge through exceptional...	Distinguished Marksman Ribbon Distinguished Marksmanship Ribbon The Distinguished Marksmanship Ribbon was a military decoration of the United States Navy which was established in 1942. Originally known as the Distinguished Marksman and Pistol Shot Ribbon, the decoration recognized those who had been presented a Distinguished Marksman Badge through exceptional...	Distinguished Pistol Shot Ribbon Distinguished Marksmanship Ribbon The Distinguished Marksmanship Ribbon was a military decoration of the United States Navy which was established in 1942. Originally known as the Distinguished Marksman and Pistol Shot Ribbon, the decoration recognized those who had been presented a Distinguished Marksman Badge through exceptional...

Coast Guard service

Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard

Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard are military medals and ribbons of the United States Coast Guard which are currently issued under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security....

Department of Transportation Distinguished Service Medal Department of Transportation Distinguished Service Medal The Transportation Distinguished Service Medal was the highest decoration which could be bestowed by the Secretary of Transportation for exceptional service to the United States government in a position of great responsibility to a member of the United States Coast Guard...	Secretary of Transportation Award for Outstanding Achievement	Secretary of Transportation Award for Meritorious Achievement	Secretary of Transportation Award for Superior Achievement	Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award The Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award is a U.S. government unit decoration which was established in 1992.The Presidential Unit Citation and Joint Meritorious Unit Award are considered senior to the Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award...	Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation The Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation is a commemorative decoration of the United States Coast Guard which was awarded to all active, reserve, auxiliary, and civilian personnel of the Coast Guard for service between the dates of June 4, 1989 and August 4, 1990.The decoration was issued as...