Navy Occupation Service
Military Medal & Military Ribbon

a. Authorization. Navy Department General Order No. 10 of 28 January 1948.

b. Navy Occupation Service Medal Eligibility Requirements. Awarded to personnel in the Naval Service who participated in the occupation of the territories of the enemies of the United States during World War I1 and subsequent to the surrender of these enemies.

(1) To establish eligibility, the individual shall have been attached to, present, and serving on permanent duty with an organization in the Naval Service of the United States during those periods when such organization has been credited by SECNAV, or a delegated fleet command, with having performed duty in the occupation of enemy or former enemy national territory.

(2) Passenger, observer, visitor, courier, escort, inspector or other similar status, when not permanently attached to an eligible unit, is not creditable toward the Navy Occupation Service Medal.

(3) Occupation duty in the European-African-Middle Eastern area may be credited to organizations for duty performed on and subsequent to 8 May 1945. Terminal dates for eligibility periods and occupation territories in this area are as follows:

Italy 15 Dec 47
Trieste 25 Oct 54
Germany (except Berlin) 05 May 55
Austria 25 Oct 55
Berlin 02 Oct 90

(4) Occupation duty in the Asiatic-Pacific area may be credited to organizations for duty performed between 2 September 1945 and 27 April 1952. Occupation territory in the Asiatic-Pacific area includes Japan and such territories recognized as sovereign to Japan, and such parts of Korea and such adjacent islands as are recognized to be Korean, but exclusive of all the mandated territory formerly administered by Japan, as are under the governmental control of the United States or of an ally of the United States during World War 11. Eligibility also includes ships operating in such home or territorial waters or contiguous ocean areas in direct support of occupation or aircraft based upon and operating from such territories or ships.

(5) Units performing service in the Korean area during the period 27 June 1950 to 27 April 1952, inclusive, and eligible for the Korean Service Medal, will not be credited with eligibility for the Navy Occupation Service Medal (NOSM) for the same period.

c. Subsequent Awards and Clasps. An individual may only be awarded one Navy Occupation Service Medal (NOSM). Appropriate clasps marked "Europe" and "Asia" are authorized to be attached to the suspension ribbon of the large medal only to denote service in the respective area. No distinctive device to denote these clasps is authorized for wear on the ribbon bar. If earned, both clasps may be worn.

d. Army of Occupation Service Medal. Individuals who have been tendered the Army of Occupation Service Medal, and are eligible for the Navy Occupation Service Medal (NOSM), are not entitled to both, but may elect which one to accept.