"A" Device attached to medals and ribbon

The "A" Device is a decoration of the United States military which is presented as an attachment to the American Defense Service Medal and the Air Force Overseas Service Ribbon. The "A" Device is a bronze colored letter "A", pinned to the center of both awards. A Device This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... A Device This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... The armed forces of the United States of America consist of the United States Army United States Navy United States Air Force United States Marine Corps United States Coast Guard Note: The United States Coast Guard has both military and law enforcement functions. ... The American Defense Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created in 1941 by Executive Order of President Franklin Roosevelt. ...

The American Defense Service Medal was the first decoration to use the "A" Device and the award was originally known as the "Atlantic Device" and also as the "Axis Device". The "A" Device was awarded to any member of the United States Navy who, while deployed to the Atlantic Ocean between June 22 and December 7, 1941, engaged in armed conflict, or potential armed conflict, with naval forces of the German Kriegsmarine. Those having done so were awarded the American Defense Service Medal with "A" Device, the intent being to recognize those who had participated in the "undeclared war" when the United States of America was assisting Britain with war convoys and German U-Boat interdiction. The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Kriegsmarine (or War Navy) was the name of the German Navy between 1935 and 1945, during the Nazi regime, superseding the Reichsmarine. ... U-boat is also a nickname for some diesel locomotives built by GE; see List of GE locomotives October 1939. ...

The "A" Device became obsolete after the Second World War and did not appear again until the year 2002. At that time, the United States Air Force declared that the "A" Device would be awarded to those who had received the Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon for tours of duty in arctic locations such as Northern Greenland and Alaska. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... The red line indicates the 10°C isotherm in July, commonly used to define the Arctic region border The Arctic is the area around the Earths North Pole. ... State nickname: The Last Frontier, The Land of the Midnight Sun Other U.S. States Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Governor Frank Murkowski Official languages English Area 1,717,854 km² (1st)  - Land 1,481,347 km²  - Water 236,507 km² (13. ...

Now know as the "Arctic Device", the "A" Device is awarded as an attachment to the Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon. The "A" Device is not authorized for any other United States military decorations.

See also: Awards and decorations of the United States military Awards and decorations of the United States military are military decorations which recognize a service members service and personal accomplishments while a member of the United States armed forces. ...