Three round bronze service medals on a ribbon bar

Richard E. Johnson Service Medals

Object NameMedal Ribbon Bar

Historic Owner Richard E. Johnson

Association USS Intrepid (CV/CVA/CVS-11)

DateDecember 1951–November 1959

PeriodCold War

Mediumfabric, metal

ClassificationsCommunication Artifacts

Credit LineCollection of the Intrepid Museum. Gift of Richard E. Johnson. 2014.105

Object number2014.105

DescriptionMedal; Three bronze service medals on a ribbon bar. The medals, from left to right, are the Navy Good Conduct Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal and National Defense Service Medal. The back of the ribbon bar is covered in fabric with two butterfly clutch pin backs.

The obverse, or facing side, of the Navy Good Conduct Medal depicts USS Constitution, a sailing frigate also known as Old Ironsides, at the center. Below the ship is the word "Constitution" in relief. A rope encircles the ship and its name. The ship is superimposed on an anchor. The words "United // States // Navy" surround the circle of rope. A circle of chain, which attaches to the top of the anchor, runs along the edge of the medal. The reverse has text around the edge of the medal that reads, "Fidelity // Zeal // Obedience" in relief. The center of the reverse side is blank. The medal hangs on a red ribbon.

The obverse of the Navy Occupation Service Medal depicts Neptune, facing to the viewer's left, mounted on a hippocampus (a mythological animal with the upper body of a horse and lower body of a fish). Neptune carries a trident in one hand and points his other arm forward. The text "Occupation // Service" is at the bottom of the medal in relief. The reverse depicts an eagle perched on the shank of a horizontal anchor and a branch of laurel. Imprinted above the eagle reads, "United States Navy // For // Service." The medal hangs on a ribbon with vertical red, black and white stripes.

The obverse of the National Defense Medal depicts an eagle with wings spread standing on a branch of laurel below the text "National Defense" in relief. The reverse of the medal depicts a shield with 13 vertical stripes and a horizontal band at the top. The shield sits above an open wreath of oak leaves on the right and laurel on the left. The medal hangs on a ribbon with red, white, blue and yellow vertical stripes.

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