United States Certificate of Merit Medal Accession Number: REL25146.035

Description

United States Certificate of Merit medal. The obverse depicts an eagle facing left, with its wings partially spread. The eagle is surrounded by the inscription 'VIRTUTIS ET AUDACIAE MONUMENTUM ET PRAEMIUM' (Virtue and Audacity are Their Own Monument and Reward). The reverse of the medal bears the word, 'FOR MERIT' surrounded by an oak wreath of two branches, the stems joined at the bottom by a bow. Around the edge in relief are the words, UNITED STATES ARMY at the top and thirteen stars below. It has a loose ring suspender and has a ribbon of red, white and blue. It has two stripes of blue at the edges with equal stripes of white. A wide central stripe of red is bisected by a thin stripe of white. In original box of issue from the Mint of the United States, Philadelphia, PA. Impressed on edge 'No.366'. A pin brooch is sewn to the ribbon.

Contextual Description

In 1905, a medal was created for those holding a Certificate of Merit and called the Certificate of Merit Medal. This medal was authorized for wear on a United States military uniform. It was always worn following the Medal of Honor, before all campaign medals. The first recipient of the Certificate of Merit Medal was First Lieutenant William B. Baker, who was presented medal No. 1 on 30 December 1907. Baker had received an original Certificate of Merit as a Corporal during the Spanish-American War on 13 August 1898. The last act recognized by a Certificate of Merit was May 1918, when Corporal Paul Scaletta made a water rescue of soldiers in dangerous surf condition at Ocean Beach, California. The last soldier to be awarded the Certificate of Merit Medal was George Arrington for his service while a Private with the 24th Infantry Regiment in 1889. He was awarded medal No. 361, and subsequently converted it to a Distinguished Service Cross.