| 1. Indian Wars Campaign Medal | 2. Cuban Occupation Medal |
| 3. Congressional Medal for Philippine Service, U. S. Army | 4. Nicaraguan Campaign Medal, 1912 |
The front or “obverse” of this medal bears the bust of Admiral Dewey in low bas-relief and the legend, “The gift of the People of the United States to the Officers and Men of the Asiatic Squadron under command of Commodore George Dewey,” while the back, or “reverse,” bears the figure of a sailor and a great gun with the inscription, “In Memory of the Victory of Manila Bay, May 1, 1898,” and the name of the ship in which the recipient served during the battle. The medal is suspended from a bronze bar by three links of chain and is backed by its distinctive ribbon, blue, yellow, blue.
The Medal Commemorating the Naval Engagements in the West Indies during the War with Spain.—This medal, usually known to the service as the “Sampson Medal,” was struck in accordance with a joint resolution of Congress approved by the President on March 3, 1901, reading as follows:
“Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Navy be, and he is hereby, authorized to cause to be struck medals commemorative of the naval and other engagements in the waters of the West Indies and on the shores of Cuba during the War with Spain, and to distribute the same to the officers and men of the Navy and Marine Corps who participated in any of said engagements deemed by him of sufficient importance to desire commemoration; Provided, That officers and men of the Navy or Marine Corps who rendered specially meritorious service, otherwise than in battle, may be rewarded in a like manner.”
The medal commemorating the Naval engagements in the West Indies is of bronze, the obverse bears the bust of Rear Admiral Sampson in low bas-relief and the inscription “U. S. Naval Campaign West Indies 1898. William T. Sampson Commander in Chief,” and the reverse bears a representation of a gun’s crew in bas-relief; the medal is suspended by its distinctive ribbon, red, blue, red, from a bronze bar bearing the name of the engagement in which the recipient participated. In case the recipient took part in more than one engagement an additional bar is added for each engagement.
Special Meritorious Medal for Services in the War with Spain Other than in Battle.—This medal was struck in accordance with the joint resolution of Congress of March 3, 1901, quoted above, the portion of that resolution authorizing it being as follows:
“Provided, That officers and men of the Navy or Marine Corps who rendered specially meritorious service, otherwise than in battle, may be rewarded in like manner.”
This medal is of bronze in the form of a maltese cross with a medallion centerpiece. The centerpiece bears a foul anchor surrounded by a laurel wreath and the inscription “U. S. Naval Campaign West Indies,” and the arms of the cross bear the words “Specially Meritorious Service 1898,” on the obverse side. On the reverse side is engraved the name of the recipient and the act for which the medal was awarded.
The Certificate of Merit Medal.—This medal is conferred upon enlisted men of the Army by executive order of the President in cases where the recipient thereof has distinguished himself in the service of the country and has been recommended therefor by the commander of his regiment or the chief of the corps to which he belongs. It is of bronze with a Roman eagle surrounded by the inscription “Virtutis et audaciae monumentum et praemium” on the obverse side and on the reverse a wreath with the words “United States Army” surrounding it and the words “For Merit” enclosed in it. The ribbon has a narrow white stripe through the center with red, white and blue stripes on each side.
