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Authorization. E.O. 10179 of 8 November 1950.

Eligibility Requirements

General. Awarded to all members of the U.S. Armed Forces who participated in operations in the Korean area during the period between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954.

Specific.

(a) Sea Duty. Service for 1 or more days in the designated area attached to and serving on board a naval vessel.

(b) Shore Duty. Attached to and regularly serving on shore in the designated area for one or more days with an organization that participated in combat operations or in direct support of combat missions. (

c) Temporary Additional Duty. Service of 30 con­ secutive days or 60 non-consecutive days in the prescribed area unless the personnel participate in actual combat, in which case the time limit is waived.

(d) Passengers. No individual in a purely passenger status shall become eligible unless the unit in which embarked engages in actual combat. Patients in a hospital ship are considered as attached to the ship.

Engagement Stars

A 3/16-inch bronze star indicative of actual combat in an operation or an engagement as authorized by SECNAV will be worn two points down on the suspension ribbon of the medal and on the ribbon bar. Participation in combat operations during the following operations will establish eligibility for one bronze star for each separate operation listed:

• North Korean aggression...........27 Jun to 2 Nov 1950
• Communist China aggression........3 Nov 1950 to 24 Jan 1951
• Inchon landing....................13-17 Sep 1950
• lst U.N. counteroffensive.........25 Jan to 21 Apr 1951
• Communist China spring offensive..22 Apr to 8 Jul 1951
• United Nations summer-fall offensive.........................9 Jul to 27 Nov 1951
• 2nd Korean winter.................28 Nov 1951 to 30 Apr 1952
• Korean defense, summer-fall 1952..1 May to 30 Nov 1952
• 3rd Korean winter................. 1 Dec 1952 to 30 Apr 1953
• Korea, summer 1953................1 May 1953 to 27 Jul 1953

Ships and units considered to have participated in combat operations are those which:

(a) Engaged the enemy.

(b) Participated in ground action.

(c) Engaged in aerial flights over enemy territory.

(d) Took part in shore bombardment, minesweeping or amphibious assault.

(e) Engaged in or launched commando-type raids or other operations behind enemy lines.

(f) Engaged in redeployment under enemy fire.

(g) Engaged in blockade of Korean waters.

(h) Operated as part of carrier task groups from which offensive airstrikes were launched.

(i) Were part of mobile logistic support forces in combat areas. Presence in combat zone primarily for training or transit does not qualify.

Note: The prerequisite to the wearing of a star on the Korean Service Medal ribbon shall be service in a ship, aircraft unit or shore-based force at the time it participated in actual com­ bat with the enemy for which a star was authorized, or participated in duty considered by CNO as being equally hazardous.

A 3/16-inch silver star will be worn two points down in lieu of five bronze stars.