U.S. Merchant Marine Academy insignia: Cadets Corps & Regiment of Midshipmen awards and decorations
In addition to wearing Federal decorations, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Regiment of Midshipmen has had a tradition of awarding midshipmen Regiment-specific awards. Over time, the inventory of ribbons which could be found on a midshipman’s uniform steadily grew from two to today’s twenty-six. These awards represent a commitment by the Academy and those formal institutions associated with the Regiment to honor midshipmen for their accomplishments – and in the act of honoring them, emphasizes the midshipman’s value and highlights their accomplishments.
The first, most noted award found on a midshipman’s uniform is the “Academic Star.” This award was originally the pre-war “Scholastic Pin“ and was a blue-white-blue ribbon with a program symbol on the white band – an anchor for Deck or prop for Engineering. With the Regiment’s installation at Kings Point, the ribbon disappeared and became a cloth star sewn onto the uniform cuff and affixed to shoulder boards. It was later turned into a pin and was placed underneath the U.S.N.R. badge.
During the Second World War, the only other Academy-specific awards were athletic medals granted to midshipmen for intramural competitions and the War Shipping Administration’s “Enemy Action” ribbon. The latter was first granted to midshipmen by the WSA in 1943 with the awardees concurrently becoming members of the “Tin Fish Club.” Like the “Merchant Marine Combat Action” ribbon, the “Enemy Action” ribbon was granted to those who were aboard ships that were attacked by the enemy or instruments of war – but unlike the “Combat Action” ribbon, a second grade of the ribbon denoted war wounds. This ribbon appeared at the same time as the “Combat Action” ribbon, and preceded the institution of the “Mariner’s Medal” – the decoration granted to merchant seamen who were wounded or killed by the enemy. By mid-war Academy combat-related ribbons were deleted and superseded by U.S. Maritime Commission ribbon awards. After the Second World War, with the disappearance of Merchant Marine service ribbons, the first ribbon to appear on a midshipman’s uniform was the honor ribbon for exemplary academics during their sea year – and this some twenty years after V-J Day. A medal of academic excellence, the Emory S. Land Medal for Excellence in Naval Architecture, is granted to midshipmen at graduation, thus it is worn for a few minutes before midshipmen become alumni.
Present-day Kings Pointers often wear nothing on their uniforms except their Eagle pins, Academic Stars, and Sea Year ribbons. Conventional wisdom among midshipmen is they know their peers and do not require ribbons to stand out. It is the mindset of “Acta Non Verba” – “Deeds Not Words” – which marks the Kings Pointer and not a colorful rack of ribbons. The joke goes, “Thank them for their service” when a midshipman is seen with a tier or two of ribbons. With that caveat, there are some midshipmen who do wear awarded ribbons; they are often those who feel compelled to do so as part of their image within the Regiment, to present “officer appearance.
More information about the decoration, its history, and parameters for award may be found by clicking on the image of the decoration.
Cadet Corps Ribbons, 1939-1942
Athletic Medals, 1940s
Academic Stars & Medals, 1940s-present day
Ribbon units (Glory bars)
The precedence for the ribbons at King Point follows the rubric where Federal decorations come first, followed by Regiment awards. Midshipmen are expressly prohibited from wearing JROTC ribbons (although the Ship’s Store does stock NJROTC Academic Honor ribbons). And, the only civilian awards found on a midshipmen’s uniform are Eagle and Girl Scout ribbons. In the 2017-2018 Academic Year, midshipmen usually wore ribbons on their khaki working uniform, and sparingly on their dress whites or dress blues.
Ribbons are, by and large, purchased at the midshipman’s expense. In 2017-18 Academic Year, ribbons cost $ .75 and ribbon appurtenances cost an average of $ .75 per device.
For current-issue ribbons, I have grouped them into Academic, Personal Commendation, Organization & Regiment, and Indoctrination. At the end of this page, I have included precedence lists for the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 Academic Years.
Academic
Personal Commendation
Organization & Regiment
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Drum Major Service Ribbon
Indoctrination Awards
The 20-teens was a time of change for the Regiment. The Commandant’s staff instituted a series of ribbons for personal and unit achievements within the Regiment. The most noted among the awards were Honor Plebe and Honor Plebe Company ribbons. And, unit commendation ribbons were given to those platoons that score the highest in certain areas during Indoctrination: Drill, Spirit, Inspection, Iron (PRT), Academic (Plebe Knowledge), and Seamanship (Waterfront skills).
Despite the award of ribbons each year, the motivation for wear is low. In the 2016-2017 Academic Year, the Commandant encouraged midshipmen to wear the three most prestigious of their ribbons on their khaki work uniforms; this directive has not taken much traction at the time of this writing (2018).
Other Awards and Medals
Midshipmen are also honored by various U.S. Federal Departments and Agencies, and upon graduation by the Marine Society of New York. Please click on the links below for additional information.
Marine Society of the City of New York
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Regiment of Midshipmen Ribbon Changes in Precedence
The following chart shows the change in ribbon precedence between Academic Year 2016 and 2017.
Noted is the movement of physical fitness and an Indoctrination honor award over that of academic. The older Band ribbons have fallen to the end of the racks, just before the public-service EMT ribbon. For Indoctrination awards, physical fitness and discipline take priority over academics and overall unit spirit. The Drill Master ribbon has taken the professional moniker “Indoctrination Cadre”. Academy Commendation curiously remains higher in precedence than the higher prestige award of Academy Achievement.