Vessel lists are incomplete and evolving. Only service constituting direct support – typically, transport of military or humanitarian cargo under military threat or in a designated combat region – qualifies a mariner for an award of the Merchant Marine Expeditionary Medal.
Operation Desert Shield & Desert Storm
Dates: 2 August 1990 – 30 June 1991
Description: Awarded to mariners serving on U.S.-flag vessels supporting coalition forces during the Gulf War. [3][4][8][11]
Vessels
Ready Reserve Force
| Adm. Wm. M. Callaghan | Cape Chalmers | Cape Mohican |
| Adventurer | Cape Charles | Cape Nome |
| Agent | Cape Clear | Comet |
| Aide | Cape Cod | Cornhusker State |
| Ambassador | Cape Decision | Del Monte |
| American Explorer | Cape Diamond | Del Valle |
| American Osprey | Cape Domingo | Diamond State |
| Austral Lightning | Cape Douglas | Equality State |
| Banner | Cape Ducato | Flickertail State |
| Buyer | Cape Edmont | Gopher State |
| California | Cape Farewell | Gulf Banker |
| Cape Alava | Cape Flattery | Gulf Trader |
| Cape Alexander | Cape Florida | Jupiter |
| Cape Ann | Cape Gibson | Lake |
| Cape Archway | Cape Girardeau | Maine |
| Cape Avinof | Cape Henry | Meteor |
| Cape Blanco | Cape Horn | Mission Buenaventura |
| Cape Bon | Cape Hudson | Mission Capistrano |
| Cape Borda | Cape Inscription | Northern Light |
| Cape Bover | Cape Isabel | Potomac |
| Cape Breton | Cape Johnson | Pride |
| Cape Canaveral | Cape Juby | Santa Ana |
| Cape Canso | Cape Lambert | Scan |
| Cape Carthage | Cape Lobos | Washington |
| Cape Catawba | Cape May | |
| Cape Catoche | Cape Mendocino |
Fast Sealift Ships (FSS)
| USNS Algol | USNS Bellatrix | USNS Pollux |
| USNS Altair | USNS Capella | USNS Regulus |
| USNS Antares ‡ | USNS Denebola |
Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS)
| 1st Lt. Alex Bonnyman Jr. | Maj. Stephen W. Pless | Pvt. Franklin J. Phillips |
| 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez | Pfc. Dewayne T. Williams | Sgt. Matej Kocak |
| 1st Lt. Jack Lummus | Pfc. Eugene A. Obregon | Sgt. William R. Button |
| 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo | Pfc. James Anderson Jr. | |
| Cpl. Louis J. Hauge Jr. | Pfc. William B. Baugh |
Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force
| USNS Andrew J. Higgins | USNS Kanawha | USNS Ponchatoula |
| USNS Apache | USNS Kilauea | USNS Rigel |
| USNS Catawba | USNS Navasota | USNS Sirius |
| USNS Hassayampa | USNS Neosho | USNS Spica |
| USNS Henry J. Kaiser | USNS Passumpsic | USNS Walter S. Diehl |
| USNS Joshua Humphreys | USNS Pawcatuck |
Hospital & Aviation Support
| USNS Comfort | USNS Mercy | |
| USNS Curtiss † | USNS Wright † |
Afloat Prepositioning Force
| Advantage | Green Harbour | Overseas Valdez |
| American Cormorant | Green Island | Overseas Vivian |
| American Kestrel | Noble Star | Santa Victoria |
| Austral Rainbow | Overseas Alice |
Long-term Charters (Controlled Fleet)
| American Eagle | Omi Champion | Santa Juana |
| Courier | Patriot | Sealift Arabian Sea |
| Green Ridge | Paul Buck | Sealift Atlantic |
| Green Wave | Ranger | Sealift Caribbean |
| Gus W. Darnell | Richard G. Matthiesen | Sealift China Sea |
| Lawrence H. Gianella | Rover | Sealift Indian Ocean |
| Maersk Constellation | Samuel L. Cobb | Sealift Mediterranean |
| Mercury | Santa Adela | Sealift Pacific |
U.S.-Flag Voyage Charters
| American Condor | Jean Lykes | Overseas Philadelphia |
| American Falcon | John Lykes | Ponce |
| Ashley Lykes | Joseph Lykes | Robert E. Lee |
| Baltimore | Julius Hammer | Ruth Lykes |
| Chablis | Kittanning | Saint Emilion |
| Charleston | LASH Atlantico | Sam Houston |
| Chestnut Hill | Leslie Lykes | Senator |
| Cleveland | Letitia Lykes | Solar |
| Elizabeth Lykes | Louise Lykes | Star Oregon |
| Falcon Champion | Lyra | Stella Lykes |
| Falcon Dutchess | Mallory Lykes | Stonewall Jackson |
| Falcon Leader | Marine Reliance | Strong American |
| Frances Hammer | Mobile | Strong Texan |
| Galveston Bay | Montrachet | Tampa Bay |
| Green Lake | Nancy Lykes | Zoella Lykes |
| Green Valley | New York Sun |
† Aviation logistics support ships (T-AVB); crewed by CIVMARs and maintained as part of MSC Reduced Operating Status fleet.
‡ Disabled en route; did not complete deployment.
Source for vessel categories: USCS Data Sheet #16 (compiled March 1992) and MSC Chartered Ships complete listing, 15 November 1991. U.S.-flag charters only; allied-flag chartered vessels are excluded as ineligible for the MMEM.
Operation Restore Hope & Operation United Shield (Somalia)
Dates: 5 December 1992 – 31 March 1995
Description: Awarded to mariners aboard U.S.-flag ships engaged in transporting cargo, supplies, or humanitarian aid directly supporting U.S., allied, or UN forces in Somalia through Mogadishu and other Somali ports; or resupplying Navy and Allied ships in Somali waters. MARAD aligned the designated Area of Operations with that used for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, roughly bounded by 2°–3°30′ N latitude and 45°–63° E longitude, though this geographic definition was intended as a reference point rather than an exhaustive criterion for eligibility. [1][4]
Vessels
| 1st Lt. Jack Lummus | Cape Diamond | USNS Capella |
| American Osprey | Cape Race | USNS Denebola |
| Cape Archway | Cpl. Louis J. Hauge Jr. |
Operation Enduring Freedom
Dates: 7 October 2001 – 28 December 2014
Description: Awarded to mariners in recognition of supporting the U.S. military in Afghanistan and associated operational areas. [3][4]
Vessels
| Cape Washington | USNS Comfort | USNS Pollux |
| Cape Wrath | USNS Curtiss | USNS Regulus |
| Cornhusker State | USNS Gilliland | USNS Wright |
| USNS Antares | USNS Mendonca |
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Dates: 19 March 2003 – 31 August 2010
Description: Awarded to mariners aboard U.S.-flag merchant ships in direct support of military operations in Iraq and neighboring waters. [3][4]
Vessels
| Cape Edmont | Cape Trinity | Cape Washington |
| Cape John | Cape Victory | USNS Antares |
| Cape Knox | Cape Vincent |
Operation Neptune Solace
Dates: 2 March 2024 – 31 August 2024
Description: Awarded to mariners employed on U.S.-flag vessels engaged in the establishment and operation of the Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS) – the temporary Gaza humanitarian aid pier – or resupplying U.S. Navy and allied ships directly supporting Operation Neptune Solace.[9][10]
Vessels
| Liberty Glory | Overseas Mykonos | USNS 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez |
| Liberty Grace | Roy P. Benavidez | USNS Stockham |
| Liberty Power | Sagamore |
Operation Prosperity Guardian
Dates: 19 November 2023 – present
Description: Awarded to mariners aboard U.S.-flag vessels engaged in carrying military or preference cargos in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden region or re-supplying U.S. Navy and allied ships supporting Operation Prosperity Guardian. The Area of Operations cited for award includes civilian maritime operations in the vicinity of the Red Sea south of 17˚ 30’ North (northern-most attack reported as of 27 February 2025), the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden, out to 51˚ 16’ East. [6][9][10]
Vessels
| Alliance Norfolk | Maersk Detroit | Maersk Yorktown |
| Maersk Atlanta | Maersk Saratoga | Shenandoah Trader |
| Maersk Chesapeake | Maersk Sentosa | Torm Thor |
Operation Inherent Resolve
Pending. [9]
Post-2016 designations: MARAD extended eligibility to additional expeditionary or humanitarian missions beginning in 2016 that met the same criteria of “direct support” to U.S. and allied military operations. [4]
Sources
1 MARAD Authorizes Medals for US Merchant Mariners — maritime.dot.gov
2 Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) — prhome.defense.gov
3 Awards and decorations of the United States Merchant Marine — Wikipedia
4 Mariner Medals — MARAD / Department of Transportation — maritime.dot.gov
5 Policy Announcement; Merchant Marine Awards and Flags Program — federalregister.gov
6 USMMA communiqué, Merchant Marine Expeditionary Medal Awards – USMMA Cadets, 15 April 2025 & personal communication, 3 June 2026.
7 46 CFR Part 350 Seamen’s Service Awards — ecfr.gov
8 Maritime Administration, 1991 Annual Report.
9 MEBA Newsletter, 1 January 2026 — mebaunion.org
10 USMMA personal communication, 3 June 2026.
11 Universal Ship Cancellation Society, Data Sheet #16, March 1992 — uscs.org