1. Description: The Bronze medal is 1 3/8 inches in width. On theobverse is a figure of Liberation standing full length with head turned to dexter lookingto the dawn of a new day, right foot resting on a war god’s helmet with the hilt of abroken sword in the right hand and the broken blade in the left hand, the inscription"WORLD WAR II" placed immediately below the center. On the reverse are theinscriptions "FREEDOM FROM FEAR AND WANT" and "FREEDOM OF SPEECH ANDRELIGION" separated by a palm branch, all within a circle composed of the words"UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1914 1945". 

2. Ribbon: The ribbon is 1 3/8 inches wide and consists ofthe following stripes: 3/8 inch double rainbow in juxtaposition (blues, greens, yellows,reds (center), yellows greens and blues); 1/32 inch White 67101; center 9/16 inch OldGlory Red 67156; 1/32 inch White; and 3/8 inch double rainbow in juxtaposition. Therainbow on each side of the ribbon is a miniature of the pattern used in the WWI VictoryMedal.

3. Criteria: The WW II Victory Medal was awarded to allmilitary personnel for service between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946. 

4. Components: The following are authorized components and relateditems: 

        a. Medal (regular size):MIL-DTL-3943/237. Medal set with full size medal and ribbon bar. NSN8455-00-269-5782. 

        b. Medal (miniature):MIL-DTL-3943/237. Available commercially. 

        c. Ribbon:MIL-DTL-11589/149. NSN 8455-00-257-0577. Available commercially. 

        d. Streamer: The WW IIVictory Medal ribbon is not used as a streamer by the Army. The Navy and Marine Corps doesuse the ribbon design for a streamer. 

5. Background: a. The World War II Victory Medal wasestablished by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79^thCongress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. 

        b. The medal was designed byMr. Thomas H. Jones and approved by the Secretary of War on 5 February 1946.

        c. The Congressionalauthorization for the World War II Victory Medal included members of the Armed Forces ofthe Government of the Philippine Islands. It also specified the ending date would be thedate of the termination of hostilities as proclaimed by the President. President Trumanofficially ended the state of hostilities on 31 December 1946.