The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, originally known as the “EAME Ribbon”, is a military award of the United States Armed Forces. It was first created on November 6, 1942, by Executive Order 9265 issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The EAME Campaign Medal was initially established by Executive Order 9265, dated 6 November 1942, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and announced in War Department Bulletin 56, 1942. The medal design was submitted to the Commission of Fine Arts on 17 September 1946 and the first sample was completed in July 1947.
The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was established by Executive Order 9265, on November 6, 1942 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
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The medal is made of bronze and measures 1 3/8 inches in width.
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European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
Criteria for Award
Originally known as the "EAME Ribbon", the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal is awarded for any service performed between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, inclusive, provided such service was performed in the following geographical theater areas:
West boundary. -- From the North Pole, south along the 75th meridian west longitude to the 77th parallel north latitude, thence southeast through Davis Strait to the intersection of the 40th parallel north latitude and the 35th meridian west longitude, thence south along that meridian to the 10th parallel north latitude, thence southeast to the intersection of the equator and the 20th meridian west longitude, thence along the 20th meridian west longitude to the South Pole.
The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded to any member of the United States armed forces for 30 days of continual service performed in the theater of operations between December 7, 1941 and March 2, 1946.
For service in active combat in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat.
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Design and Symbolism
The medal's obverse was designed by Mr. Thomas Hudson Jones based on General Eisenhower's request that the medal include an invasion scene.
The medal’s obverse was designed by Mr. sculptor for the Army’s Institute of Heraldry, based on General Eisenhower’s request that the medal includes an invasion scene. It displays an LST landing craft and troops landing under fire with an airplane in the background below the words EUROPEAN AFRICAN MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN. In the center of a bronze medallion one and a quarter inches in diameter, an LST landing craft is shown with troops landing under fire, with an airplane in the background below the words EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN (in three lines). This scene represents the major invasions of Africa and Europe during the Second World War and portrays elements of the Army, Navy, and Air Corps. The words describe the Theater of operations.
The reverse side of the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was designed by Adolph Alexander Weinman and is the same design as on the reverse of the Asiatic-Pacific and American Campaign Medals: An American bald eagle close between the dates 1941 - 1945 and the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. In the center of a bronze medallion one and a quarter inches in diameter, an American bald eagle is shown alight on a rock. To the eagle's left, the dates 1941-1945 (in two lines); to the eagle's right, the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (in three lines). The bald eagle is the national symbol and thereby represents the American people.
The Bronze medal is 1+3⁄8 inches (35 mm) in diameter.
Ribbon Design
The ribbon is 1 3/8 inches wide and shows a brown stripe that represents the sands of Africa, Irish green for the fields of Europe, white and scarlet for the Italian colors.
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The ribbon to the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal has a broad center stripe of green that is bisected by blue, white and red pinstripes. The green is edged on the right by slightly wider pinstripes of green, white and red (green being the outmost color); to the left, the center stripe of green is edged by slightly wider pinstripes of white, black, and white. The outer edges of the ribbon are edged in brown.
The Secretary of War directed that ribbons for the area campaign medals were to employ separate colors to denote the theaters they represented. The theater color was to predominate in each ribbon and the common relationship among all of them was to be achieved by using colored stripes put in the same place on each of the ribbons.
The central stripe of green (bisected by the blue, white and red pinstripes taken from the American Defense Service Medal) alludes to the vegetation of Europe. The brown edge stripes represent North Africa. The green, white and red pinstripes inside the right edge are the colors of Italy and the white, black and white pinstripes inside the left edge represent Germany, thus representing both of the Axis powers in Europe.
Devices
For those service members who participated in one or more designated military campaigns, campaign stars are authorized to be worn on the medal.
Bronze service stars were awarded by all services for participation in designated campaigns. A bronze arrowhead device was awarded for participation in designated Army amphibious and airborne combat assaults (Note: only one bronze arrowhead could be worn on the ribbon).
Bronze arrowhead device
Notable Recipient
The first recipient of the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was presented his medal on July 24, 1947.
Order of Wear
The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was worn after the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and before the World War II Victory Medal.
