"V" Device
| "V" Device | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Awarded by United States Military | |
| Type | Device |
| Status | Currently in use |
| Statistics | |
| First awarded | 1945 |
The "V" Device is an award device of the United States Army and Air Force.[1][2] In the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, it is known as the Combat Distinguishing Device (Combat "V").[3][4] The "V" device is a miniature bronze block letter "V", 1/4 inch high with serifs at the top, which is affixed to medal suspension ribbons and ribbon bars. An individual can only wear the "V" on an award if the citation for the award specifically authorizes the "V".
In the Army, the "V" is worn on an award solely to denote "participation in acts of heroism involving conflict with an armed enemy".[1] In the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, the "V" is worn on an award to denote the award is for valorous actions in combat or "exposure to personal hazard during direct participation in combat operations".[3] In the Air Force, the "V" is worn on the Bronze Star Medal to denote the award is for valorous actions in combat or worn on the Commendation and Achievement medals for being "placed in harm's way" during contingency deployment operations; it is also worn on certain unit award ribbons by members of the unit to denote their unit was awarded the "V" for combat or direct combat support actions.[2]
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[edit] Criteria
While a service member may be cited for valor and heroism in combat many times and be awarded several awards authorizing the device, no more than one "V" will be worn on the same decoration or a unit award, except for the Medal of Honor, in which case subsequent awards are denoted by adding a "V" to denote an additional MOH. The "V" may also be worn on a decoration alongside other devices. For example, if a service member was awarded the Bronze Star Medal on three occasions, of which at least one was authorized the "V", the individual would wear the medal with the "V" and two oak leaf clusters (Army and Air Force) or two 5/16 inch gold stars (Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard), indicating a total of three separate awards. In such a case, the "V" is worn in the position of honor towards the wearer's right of the other devices on the suspension ribbon or ribbon bar; if 3/16 inch service stars are authorized, the "V" is worn in the center of the suspension ribbon or ribbon bar. The device is currently authorized for wear on the following:[1][3][2][4]
| Army | Navy and Marine Corps | Air Force | Coast Guard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medal of Honor | Medal of Honor | Medal of Honor | Medal of Honor |
| Bronze Star Medal | Legion of Merit | Distinguished Flying Cross | Bronze Star Medal |
| Air Medal | Distinguished Flying Cross | Bronze Star Medal | Air Medal |
| Joint Service Commendation Medal | Bronze Star Medal | Air Medal | Joint Service Commendation Medal |
| Army Commendation Medal | Air Medal | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Coast Guard Commendation Medal |
| Army Achievement Medal | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Air Force Commendation Medal | Coast Guard Achievement Medal |
| Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal | Air Force Achievement Medal | ||
| Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | ||
| Air Force Organizational Excellence Award |
[edit] History
In 1944, the Army authorized the "V" as an attachment to accompany the Bronze Star Medal. The "V" was first worn to denote an award for valor in 1945. The Secretary of the Navy authorized the Combat "V" for the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal... on February 13, 1946. The "V" is currently authorized for certain awards to denote combat valor, combat, and combat support service.
In 1996, the "V" device garnered public attention after the suicide of Admiral Jeremy Boorda, who was the Chief of Naval Operations and the second most senior naval officer on active duty at the time. The news media reported that his death by suicide may have been caused by a naval investigation into whether he was wearing two Combat Distinguishing Devices (Combat "V"s) without authorization. Boorda had been wearing a Combat "V" on two decorations he was awarded during the Vietnam War as a weapons and executive officer aboard two naval ships off the coast of Vietnam. Although there were indications that the Combat "V"s were authorized to be worn on his Navy Commendation and Achievement Medals, the Department of the Navy Board For Correction of Naval Records determined the Combat "V"s were not authorized to be worn.[5]
[edit] Notable recipients
- Daniel Brandenstein
- William B. Caldwell, III
- Llewellyn Chilson
- Ray Davis
- Michael Fahey
- Tommy Franks
- William J. Gainey
- Joseph L. Galloway
- William Guarnere
- David H. Hackworth
- Michael Hagee
- Alexander Haig
- Ira Hayes
- Joseph P. Hoar
- Robert L. Howard
- Richard Jadick
- Charles C. Krulak
- Douglas MacArthur
- John McCain
- Richard Marcinko
- Michael A. Monsoor
- Audie Murphy
- John P. Murtha
- Raymond L. Murray
- Peter Pace
- Chance Phelps
- Chesty Puller
- Charles B. Rangel
- L. Scott Rice
- Matthew Ridgway
- John Ripley
- Norman Schwarzkopf
- Sidney Shachnow
- Hugh Shelton
- Jamie Smith
- Robert L. Stewart
- Jeff Struecker
- Oliver Stone
- Strom Thurmond
- Matt Urban
- Allen West
- Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr.
[edit] References
[edit] See also
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