Return to Service Medal IndexReturn to Naval Historical Center homepage

China Relief Expedition Medal

This medal is issued to officers and enlisted men of the naval service who served on shore in China with the Peking Relief Expedition between 24 May 1900 and 27 May 1901, or who were attached to one of the following vessels in Chinese waters between the dates mentioned (Special Orders No. 81 and 82 of 27 June 1908):

[Historical note: The ribbon of this medal originally bore the yellow and black motif as show on the medal at left. The colors were changed in 1915 to yellow and blue to correspond with those of the U.S. Army medal issued for similar service.

The first 400 medals struck bear the date "1901." The die in use became damaged and replaced with a re-engraved die. This one, however, had the date "1900" which appears on all subsequent copies.]

Brooklyn      07 July 1900-12 Oct. 1900
Buffalo       03 Aug. 1900-06 Aug. 1900
Iris          29 June 1900-24 July 1900
Monocacy      14 June 1900-27 May  1901
Nashville     18 June 1900-07 Sep. 1900
New Orleans   14 Sep. 1900-27 May  1901
Newark        27 May  1900-22 July 1900
Solace        18 June 1900-29 July 1900
Wheeling      05 Apr. 1900-01 May  1900
Yorktown      15 June 1900-10 Sep. 1900
Zafiro        10 July 1900-11 Oct. 1900

Source: 1948, 1953 USN Awards Manual

13 June 1998