Philippine Independence Medal
Encyclopedia
The Philippine Independence Medal is a military decoration of the Republic of the Philippines which was created by order of the Philippine Army Headquarters on July 3, 1946. The Philippine Independence Medal was created to recognize those members of the military who had participated in multiple Philippine military operations during the years of the Second World War.
To be awarded the Philippine Independence Medal, a service member must have previously received both the Philippine Defense Medal
and the Philippine Liberation Medal
. The service member must also have served on active military duty in the Philippines after July 4, 1946. The award criteria effectively awarded the medal to anyone who had participated in both the initial resistance against Japan
ese invasion and also in the campaigns to liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation in 1945. A famous recipient was General of the Army
Douglas MacArthur
.
The Philippine Independence Medal was originally awarded as a ribbon, and it was not until 1968 that a full-sized medal was authorized by President Ferdinand Marcos
. The Philippine Independence Medal was also authorized for award to foreign militaries, with a number of retroactive awards presented between 1945 and 1948.
To be awarded the Philippine Independence Medal, a service member must have previously received both the Philippine Defense Medal
Philippine Defense Medal
The Philippine Defense Medal is a decoration of the Republic of the Philippines which is awarded to commemorate the initial resistance against Japanese invasion between the dates of December 1941 and June 1942.The decoration was first created as ribbon in December, 1944, and a full-sized medal was...
and the Philippine Liberation Medal
Philippine Liberation Medal
The Philippine Liberation Medal is a military award of the Republic of the Philippines which was created by an order of Commonwealth Army of the Philippines Headquarters on December 20, 1944...
. The service member must also have served on active military duty in the Philippines after July 4, 1946. The award criteria effectively awarded the medal to anyone who had participated in both the initial resistance against Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese invasion and also in the campaigns to liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation in 1945. A famous recipient was General of the Army
General of the Army
General of the Army is a military rank used in some countries to denote a senior military leader, usually a General in command of a nation's Army. It may also be the title given to a General who commands an Army in the field....
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
.
The Philippine Independence Medal was originally awarded as a ribbon, and it was not until 1968 that a full-sized medal was authorized by President Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
. The Philippine Independence Medal was also authorized for award to foreign militaries, with a number of retroactive awards presented between 1945 and 1948.