Plate 017 — Wargames
REF: BF-GME-017Naval Awards of the Pacific War
The US Navy and Imperial Japanese Navy each maintained formal decorations for gallantry and distinguished service during the Pacific War. This page covers their history and criteria.
The United States Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy each maintained a set of formal decorations for gallantry and distinguished service during the Pacific War (1941–1945). These awards recognized the same broad categories on both sides — extraordinary heroism in combat, meritorious command performance and, on the American side, a single act of gallantry short of the Medal of Honor threshold.
United States Navy Decorations
The Medal of Honor is the United States' highest military decoration; the Navy version was established on 21 December 1861, when President Abraham Lincoln signed it into law, and it recognizes conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. The Navy Cross, established by Act of Congress on 4 February 1919, originally ranked below both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Distinguished Service Medal; Congress revised the order of precedence on 7 August 1942, making the Navy Cross a combat-only decoration that ranks immediately below the Medal of Honor, ahead of the Distinguished Service Medal. The Navy Distinguished Service Medal, established the same day as the Navy Cross (4 February 1919), recognizes exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility rather than direct combat heroism. The Silver Star traces back to the Citation Star, created by Act of Congress on 9 July 1918; the War Department converted it into the Silver Star Medal on 19 July 1932, and it is awarded jointly by the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard for gallantry in action.
| Decoration | Established | Recognizes |
|---|---|---|
| Medal of Honor (Navy) | 21 December 1861 | Conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty |
| Navy Cross | 4 February 1919 (combat-only precedence set 7 August 1942) | Extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force |
| Silver Star | Citation Star 9 July 1918; converted to the Silver Star Medal 19 July 1932 | Gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States |
| Navy Distinguished Service Medal | 4 February 1919 | Exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility |
Imperial Japanese Navy Decorations
The Order of the Golden Kite, established on 12 February 1890, was reserved for military personnel of the Empire of Japan and recognized bravery, leadership or command in battle; it ranked among the most prestigious Japanese military honors of the Second World War before it was abolished in 1947 by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers during the occupation of Japan. The Order of the Rising Sun, established in 1875, recognized distinguished contributions to the state more broadly and could be awarded to both Japanese and foreign nationals, including military figures; unlike the Golden Kite, it was not exclusively a combat decoration, though wartime commanders frequently received it alongside other honors.
| Decoration | Established | Recognizes |
|---|---|---|
| Order of the Golden Kite | 12 February 1890 (abolished 1947) | Bravery, leadership or command in battle; military personnel only |
| Order of the Rising Sun | 1875 | Distinguished contributions to the state; open to military and civilian, Japanese and foreign recipients |
These are the historical decorations of the two main Pacific War navies, distinct from the in-game medal tiers (Gold, Silver and Bronze) and rank ladder used in BattleFleet: Pacific War's own Hall of Fame, which are described alongside the game's full rank list on the BattleFleet rank list and the BattleFleet naval game units page.