Citation Star | |
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Army Silver Star ( 3⁄16")
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Awarded by United States Army | |
Type | Personal Valor Decoration |
Awarded for | "Gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States" |
Status | No longer awarded |
Statistics | |
Established | 9 July 1918 (Retroactive to 15 April 1861) 19 July 1932 - Silver Star Medal |
Precedence | |
Next (higher) |
Army Distinguished Service Medal Navy Distinguished Service Medal |
Equivalent | Silver Star Medal |
World War I Victory Medal Ribbon with 4 Citation Stars |
The Citation Star was a Department of the Army personal valor decoration issued as a ribbon device which was first established by the United States Congress on July 9, 1918 (Bulletin No. 43, War Dept. 1918). When awarded, a 3/16 inch silver star was placed on the suspension ribbon and service ribbon of the World War I Victory Medal to denote a Citation (certificate) for "Gallantry In Action" was awarded to a soldier, or to a Marine or sailor (Navy corpsman) attached to the Army's Second Division (2nd Infantry Division), American Expeditionary Forces. The Citation Star was replaced in 1932 with the introduction of the Silver Star Medal.
To receive a Citation Star, an individual had to be officially cited in orders by a General Order Number. The Citation Star is authorized retroactively to denote being cited for gallantry in action back to the American Civil War. General Henry Jervey, Office of the Chief of Staff, in a letter dated February 26, 1926, wrote:
The Secretary of War directs as follows - The following is the amended version of paragraph 187 of Army Regulation: "No more than one Medal of Honor or one Distinguished Service Cross or one Distinguished Service Medal shall be issued to any one person, but for each succeeding or act sufficient to justify the award of a Medal of Honor or Distinguished Service Cross or Distinguished Service Medal, respectively, a bronze oak leaf cluster, shall be issued in lieu thereof; and for each citation of an officer or enlisted man for gallantry in action, published in orders from headquarters of a force commanded by a general officer, not warranting the issue of a Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross or Distinguished Service Medal, he shall wear a silver star, 3/16 inch in diameter, as prescribed in Uniform Regulations."