Pacific Star

The Pacific Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II. It was also awarded to certain foreign servicemen, such as Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz of the United States.

[edit] Entitlement
The medal was awarded for operational service in the Pacific Theatre between 8 December 1941 and 2 September 1945, and also for certain specified service in China, Hong-Kong, Malaya and Sumatra: Second World War service in China, Hong Kong, Malaya and Sumatra after the above end dates was recognised by the award of the Burma Star. The qualifying sea areas for the award of the Pacific Star are the Pacific Ocean (including the South China Sea) and the Indian Ocean east of a line running due south from Singapore round the South-East coast of Sumatra, through Christmas Island, and southwards along the meridian of 110 deg East.
 * Hong Kong - between 8 December 1941 and 25 December 1941
 * China and Malaya - between 8 December 1941 and 15 February 1942
 * Sumatra - between 8 December 1941 and 23 March 1942

The Pacific Star was authorised for immediate bestowal to any soldier or sailor who had been killed or wounded in combat.

British uniform regulations stipulated that Burma Star would not be awarded to a recipient of the Pacific Star. Subsequent entitlement to the Burma Star was denoted by the award of the Burma Star clasp.

[edit] Description

 * The Pacific Star is a six–pointed star of yellow copper zinc alloy, with a height of 44mm and a maximum width of 38mm.
 * The obverse has a central design of the Royal Cypher of King George VI, surmounted by a crown. The cypher is surrounded by a circlet containing the words "The Pacific Star".
 * The reverse is plain, although Stars issued to Australian and South African personnel have recipient names impressed.
 * The ribbon for this medal, along with those of the other Second World War campaign stars, is reputed to have been designed by King George VI.[citation needed] The jungle is represented by dark green, the beaches by the yellow stripe. The Royal Navy (and Merchant Navy), Army, and Royal Air Force are represented by stripes of dark blue, red, and light blue respectively.

[edit] Clasps
When the ribbon is worn alone a silver rosette ribbon emblem is worn to denote the award of a clasp.
 * Burma
 * Awarded to those who subsequently qualified for the Burma Star.

[edit] See also

 * British campaign medals
 * Australian campaign medals

[edit] Bibliography

 * Mackay, J and Mussel, J (eds) - Medals Yearbook - 2006, (2005), Token Publishing.
 * Joslin, Litherland, and Simpkin (eds), British Battles and Medals, (1988), Spink

[edit] References

 * UK MoD site
 * Records of WW2 Medals issued to Merchant Seamen from The National Archives.
 * ADF Honours and Awards
 * Stephen Stratford Medals site
 * Veterans Affairs Canada site
 * NZDF Medals site
 * Pacific Star Regulations from NZDF site