U.S. MERCHANT MARINE MERITORIOUS SERVICE

The Merchant Marine Meritorious Service Medal was established through an Executive Order by President Franklin Roosevelt on 29 August 1944. Criteria for the new award was directly tied to the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) that Conress has created more than two year earlier; the Meritorious Service award was to be awarded by the Administrator of the Wartime Shipping Administration to Seamen whose service or conduct was notably meritorious, but not to the point that it would warrant the award of the DSM.

A member of the Merchant Marine could be awarded only one Meritorious Service Medal (MSM), but subsequent commendations that justified granting the award would be recognized by a device attached to the suspension ribbon of the medal or the ribbon bar.

Today, the MSM is awarded by the Secretary of Transportation.