We occasionally see postings mentioning the medals of dishonor given to a few white soldiers who participated in the Massacre at Wounded Knee. The Code of Federal Regulation reveals there were many more medals of dishonor than that. I thought you should know.
Les Tate
32 CFR Sec. 578.29Title 32
Subtitle A
CHAPTER V
SUBCHAPTER F
PART 578Sec. 578.29 Indian Campaign Medal.
Established by WD General Orders 12, 1907. (a) Description. The medal of bronze is 1 1/4 inches in diameter. On the obverse is a mounted Indian facing sinister, wearing a war bonnet, and carrying a spear in his right hand. Above the horseman are the words 'Indian Wars,' and below, on either side of a buffalo skull, the circle is completed by arrowheads, conventionally arranged. On the reverse is a trophy, composed of an eagle perched on a cannon supported by crossed flags, rifles, an Indian shield, spear, and quiver of arrows, a Cuban machete, and a Sulu kriss. Below the trophy are the words 'For Service.' The whole is surrounded by a circle composed of the words 'United States Army' in the upper half and thirteen stars in the lower half. The medal is suspended by a ring from a silk moire ribbon 1 3/8 inches in length and 1 3/8 inches in width composed of a red stripe ( 1/4 inch), black stripe ( 3/16 inch), red band ( 1/2 inch), black stripe ( 3/16 inch), and red stripe ( 1/4 inch).
(b) Requirements. Service in any of the following campaigns:
(1) Southern Oregon, Idaho, northern California, and Nevada between 1865 and 1868.
(2) Against the Comanches and confederate tribes in Kansas, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, and Indian Territory between 1867 and 1875.
(3) Modoc War between 1872 and 1873.
(4) Against the Apaches in Arizona in 1873.
(5) Against the Northern Cheyennes and Sioux between 1876 and 1877.
(6) Nez Perce War in 1877.
(7) Bannock War in 1878.
(8) Against the Northern Cheyennes between 1878 and 1879.
(9) Against the Sheep-Eaters, Piutes, and Bannocks between June and October, 1879.
(10) Against the Utes in Colorado and Utah between September 1879 and November 1880.
(11) Against the Apaches in Arizona and New Mexico between 1885 and 1886.
(12) Against the Sioux in South Dakota between November 1890 and January 1891.
(13) Against hostile Indians in any other action in which United States troops were killed or wounded between 1865 and 1891. (13 FR 6798, Nov. 19, 1948)
The above posting regarding the other medals of dishonor needs clarification, which is best done by another subscriber. Gerald (Jerry) Green pointed out in a private e-mail the following:
"When we speak of the "Medals of Dis-Honor" we are referring to the 20 Congressional Medals of Honor awarded to soldiers at the Wounded Knee Massacre. Almost every soldier who served in the west in the last half of the 19th century received an Indian Wars Medal.
What I had intended was to note that there were other types of medals awarded for genocide and that the "glorious victors," as if to add insult to injury, used Native American-related images on them.
Les Tate
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