US Spanish Campaign Medal-Army. 1898.

[muckaroon1960]

Awarded for service ashore or on the high seas enroute to the following countries, Cuba May 11th to July 17th, Puerto Rico July 24th to August 13th and Philippine Islands June 30th to August 16th 1898. The USA declared war on Spain February 15th 1898 following an explosion aboard the US battleship Maine in Havana Harbour which resulted in loss of American lives and the loss of the ship. Although chiefly a Naval war this was an Army award to those service personnel engaged in occupying Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines which ended August 12th and following a peace treaty signed December 10th resulted in Spain giving up its claim to these countries and the island of Guam. Originally issued with a Red and Yellow ribbon this was changed to the Blue and Yellow as the former was similar in colour to the Spanish flag. About 18400 were issued, 8000 with a No. prefix, 6400 with a M No. prefix and 4000 unnumbered.
This one is numbered on the rim No.3383 with a replacement ribbon.
Other medals issued for this campaign were Navy and Marine Corp equivalent, Spanish War Service-Army to members of the National Guard and Army volunteers. Following the Spanish Campaign, occupation medals were issued for Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippine Campaign and Insurrection.

[Rusty Greaves]

Great to see this medal! There is a thread about other Spanish American War medals started by Noor on 4 July, 2011 titled: Spanish American War Spanish Campaign Army Service Medal here in the United States of America section. Noor illustrated the reverse of the Spanish American War Army Service medal for the Cuba campaign, the number on its rim, the box and label, ribbon, and lapel pin. I added to that thread photos of my grandfather's army service medals for the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection as well. The numbers on the rim match the red numbering on the boxes of these contract pieces. I do not know when he requested these medals, he stayed in the Philippines after his service until ~1915. He received these service medals after he had returned to the US, taken employment in New York City, and started a family. Given the dates on the boxes he probably got these in late 1937 or early 1938 (?). Although there is a cut-out in the back of the frame I have these in showing the reverse of each medal, I can't get a good focus through the glass. So I'm including here the reverse image of the Spanish War medal that Noor had in his post and an image of the reverse of the Philippine Insurrection medal from eMedals (that I never added to that earlier thread). It is easy to find better quality images of the obverse of these medals on the internet than these I have provided (I did not document them before they were framed). 

US Army service medals with original ribbons and ribbon bars for the Spanish-American War (top & left in 3rd photo) and the Philippine Insurrection (2nd from top & right in 3rd photo). Awarded to my grandfather, William K. Blessing serving in one of the Arkansas units. The rim of the Spanish War service medal reads: 27291. The box for the Spanish War Service medal reads: "27291" (printed in red) "Spanish War Service; Stock No 71-M-942 Spec 5-23-33; Northern Smelting & Refining Co.; Con. No W. 669 Q.M. 6764 10-21-37; Phila. Q. M. Depot." The number on the rim of the Philippine Insurrection medal is 29848. The box for the Philippine Insurrection medal reads: "29848" (printed in red) "Philippine Campaign; Stock No 71-M-934 Spec 5-23-37; Northern Smelting & Refining Co.; Con. No W. 669 Q.M. 6764 2-23-37; Phila. Q. M. Depot."

Reverse of the Philippine Insurrection Army Service medal from eMedals (https://www.emedals.com/north-america/united-states/pre-first-world-war-campaign-medals/an-american-army-philippine-insurrection-medal-1899-boxed)

On 7/4/2011 at 15:33, Noor said:

Reverse of the Spanish War service medal from Noor (7/4/2011) in his thread here on GMIC:  Spanish American War Spanish Campaign Army Service Medal, in the United States of America Forum section. 

Edited February 4, 2018 by Rusty Greaves

[Peter J]

Many thanks for a most illuminating thread. Here are two more with a slightly more pronounced bronze colour,  the Philippine Insurrection No  19340 and the War with Spain No 7051. The Spanish War Service Medal (30594) unfortunately lacks the ribbon and is more shiny compared to the ones illustrated here. Although the details are fairly nice, the portion with stars above the eagle's head are merely dots. Perhaps a later minting?

[dond]

A distant relative.

[Gunner 1]

For those interested, the upcoming March-April 2018 issue of The Journal of the Orders and Medals Society of America  (goes out to the membership the third week of March) contains an article by Tom Nier titled "The United States Navy West Indies and Spanish Campaign Medals" Which one is the Rarer of the Two?."