Navy Distinguished Public Service Award

Navy Distinguished Public Service Award
Medal of the award
Awarded by Secretary of the Navy
Country	United States
Eligibility	Private citizens not employed by the Department of the Navy
Awarded for	Specific courageous or heroic acts or exceptionally outstanding service of substantial and long-term benefit to the Navy, Marine Corps, or Department of the Navy as a whole.
Status	Active
Precedence
Next (higher)	Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award
Next (lower)	Navy Superior Public Service Award
Ribbon bar of the award

The Navy Distinguished Public Service Award, established in 1951, is an award presented by the U.S. Secretary of the Navy to civilians for specific courageous or heroic acts or exceptionally outstanding service of substantial and long-term benefit to the Navy, Marine Corps, or Department of the Navy as a whole. Originally a certificate with a lapel pin, the medal was first presented in July 1951. It is the highest recognition that the Secretary of the Navy may pay to a civilian not employed by the Department of the Navy.

The medal, designed by the United States Mint, is gold in color. The obverse has the Seal of the Navy Department, encircled by the inscription above "Navy Department" and below, "United States of America." The reverse has the words "Awarded to" with a blank tablet for inscription of the recipient's name, resting on a spray of laurel. Arched at the top rim of the reverse of the medal is the word "Distinguished." Horizontally, below the tablet, is the word "Public" and arched along the bottom rim is the word "Service." The medal is suspended by a ribbon using the colors of the United States Navy, half blue on the left, and half golden-yellow on the right. In addition to the medal it consists of a miniature medal, lapel bar, rosette, and a certificate signed by the Secretary of the Navy.

Notable recipients include Joe Rosenthal, Pulitzer Prize winning photographer, known for the iconic photo, Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima.

, wife of the late Vice Admiral , was honored with the award for her work to publicize the mistreatment of POWs and campaign for their families during the Vietnam War. She co-founded the National League of Families. Her husband spent over 7 years in as a POW and went on to receive the Medal of Honor.