Navy Cross

The Navy Cross is the second highest medal that can be awarded by the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. It was established by Act of Congress (Public Law 253, 65th Congress) and approved on February 4 1919. The Navy Cross is equivalent to the Distinguished Service Cross (Army) and the Air Force Cross (Air Force).

Effective Dates

The Navy Cross has been in effect since April 6 1917.

Criteria

The Navy Cross may be awarded to any person who, while serving with the Navy, Marine Corps or (in time of war) Coast Guard, distinguishes himself in action by extraordinary heroism not justifying an award of the Medal of Honor. The action must take place under one of three circumstances: while engaged in action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or, while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict in which the United States is not a belligerent party. To earn a Navy Cross the act to be commended must be performed in the presence of great danger or at great personal risk and must be performed in such a manner as to render the individual highly conspicuous among others of equal grade, rate, experience, or position of responsibility. An accumulation of minor acts of heroism does not justify an award of the Navy Cross.

As originally authorized, the Navy Cross could be awarded for distinguished non-combat acts, but legislation of 7 August, 1942 limited the award to acts of combat heroism.

Order of Precedence

Originally the Navy Cross was the Navy's third-highest decoration, after the Medal of Honor and the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. In August 1942 Congress revised the precedence, making the Navy Cross senior to the Distinguished Service Medal. Since that time the Navy Cross has been worn after the Medal of Honor and before all other decorations.

Devices

Additional awards of the Navy Cross are denoted by gold stars five-sixteenths of an inch in diameter.

Designer

The Navy Cross was designed by James Earl Fraser (1876-1953).

First/Last Recipient

The first actual recipient of the Navy Cross is unknown because initial awards were made from a lengthy list published after the First World War. Staff Sgt. Anthony L. Viggiani, USMC, is the most recent recipient. He received this award on February 24, 2006, for his actions in Afghanistan on June 3, 2004.[1]

Description and Symbolism

Obverse

The Navy Cross is a modified cross patée one and a half inches wide (the ends of its arms are rounded whereas a conventional cross patée has arms that are straight on the end). There are four laurel leaves with berries in each of the re-entrant arms of the cross. In the center of the cross a sailing vessel is depicted on waves, sailing to the viewer's left. The vessel is a symbolic caravel of the type used between 1480 and 1500. Fraser selected the caravel because it was a symbol often used by the Naval Academy and because it represented both naval service and the tradition of the sea. The laurel leaves with berries refer to achievement.

Reverse

In the center of a bronze cross patée one and a half inches wide, crossed anchors from the pre-1850 period, with cables attached. The letters USN appear amid the anchors.