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The Combat Action Ribbon (CAR) is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, and which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy (or Colonel in the Marine Corps), have actively participated in ground or surface combat. The Combat Action Ribbon is also awarded to members of the United States Coast Guard when operating under the control of the Navy.

The Combat Action Ribbon was first created in February 1969 with retroactive presentation to 1961-03-01. On 1999-10-05, by Presidential Order of Bill Clinton, the retroactive effective date of the Combat Action Ribbon was changed to 1941-12-07 which was the entry date of the United States of America into the Second World War.

To be awarded the Combat Action Ribbon, the individual must have rendered satisfactory performance under enemy fire while actively participating in a ground or surface engagement.

Personnel who earned the Combat Infantryman Badge or Combat Medical Badge while a member of the United States Army may be authorized to wear the Combat Action Ribbon upon application to the Department of the Navy. As of May 2005, the U.S. Army has created a new decoration known as the Combat Action Badge (previously to be known as the Combat Recognition Ribbon) which is considered the direct Army equivalent to the Combat Action Ribbon.

Retroactive awards of the Combat Action Ribbon, for retired, deceased, or discharged personnel, are handled by the Navy Liaison Officer to the National Personnel Records Center.

Additional decorations of the Combat Action Ribbon are denoted by gold and silver award stars.

While any eligible sailor or Marine may receive the ribbon, SECNAVINST 1650.1G lists several units and operations whose members or participants are authorized to wear it, including:

• Southeast Asia. From 1961-03-01 to 1973-08-15.
• Dominican Republic, from 1965-04-28 to 1966-09-21. (no ships qualified)
• USS Liberty (AGTR-5), from 1967-06-08 to 1967-06-09.
• USS Pueblo (AGER-2), 1968-01-23.
• Operation Frequent Wind (Saigon evacuation), from 1975-04-29 to 1975-04-30. (no ships qualified)
• Operation Mayaguez, 1975-05-15. (no ships qualified)
• Grenada, from 1983-10-24 to 1983-11-02. (no ships qualified)
• Lebanon, from 1982-08-20 to 1984-08-01. (no ships qualified)
• Persian Gulf operations, from 1987 to 1988:
  • COMNAVSPECWAR Task Unit Tango, 1987-09-22.
  • USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58), 1988-04-14.
  • Operation Praying Mantis, from 1988-04-18 to 1988-07-03.
    • Surface Action Group Bravo:
      • USS Merrill (DD-976) and embarked Comdesron Nine Staff;
      • HSL-35 Det 1;
      • USS Lynde McCormick (DDG 8);
      • USS Trenton (LPD-14);
      • Contingency MAGTF2-88;
      • HSL-44, Detachment 5
    • Surface Action Group Charlie:
      • USS Wainwright (CG-28);
      • USS Bagley (FF-1069);
      • HSL-35, Det 7;
      • USS Simpson (FFG-56);
      • HSL-42, Det 10;
      • Commander, Naval Special Warfare Task Group Middle East Force;
      • Seal Team Two, Third Platoon
    • Surface Action Group Delta:
      • Comdesron Twenty-Two;
      • USS Jack Williams (FFG-24);
      • HSL-32, Det 2;
      • USS Joseph Strauss (DDG-16);
      • USS O'Brien (DD-975);
      • HSL-33, Det 2; Co, Spec Boat Unit Twelve;
      • Seal Team 5, Platoon CG
  • USS Elmer Montgomery (FF-1082);
  • USS Vincennes (CG-49)
• Persian Gulf MCM Operations. Specific Units, from 1987-11-19 to 1988-04-01; 1988-04-14 to 1988-04-20; 1988-04-20 to 1988-04-23; and 1990-08-02 to 1991-09-10.
• Operation Just Cause (Panama), from 1989-12-20 to 1990-01-31. (no ships qualified)
• Operation Sharp Edge, from 1990-08-05 to 1990-08-24. (no ships qualified)
• Operation Desert Storm, from 1991-01-17 to 1991-02-26.
  • The Secretary Of The Navy approved the CAR as an exception to policy for several ships that operated north Of 28.30N and west Of 49.30E from 1991-01-17 to 1991-02-28:
    • USS Adroit (MSO-509),
    • USS Avenger (MCM-1),
    • USS Beaufort (ATS-2),
    • USS Bunker Hill (CG-52),
    • USS Caron (DD-970),
    • USS Curts (FFG-38),
    • USS Durham (LKA-114),
    • USS Fife (DD-991),
    • USS Ford (FFG-54),
    • USS Fort Mchenry (LSD-43),
    • USS Paul F. Foster (DD-964),
    • USS Hawes (FFG-53),
    • USNS Hassayampa (T-AO-145),
    • USS Horne (CG-30),
    • USS Impervious (MSO-449),
    • USS Jarrett (FFG-33),
    • USS Kidd (DDG-993),
    • USS La Salle (AGF-3),
    • USS Leader (MSO-490),
    • USS Leftwich (DD-984),
    • USS Macdonough (DDG-39),
    • USS McInerney (FFG-8),
    • USS Missouri (BB-63),
    • USS Mobile Bay (CG-53),
    • USS Nassau (LHA-4),
    • USS Niagara Falls (AFS-3),
    • USS Nicholas (FFG-47),
    • USS Okinawa (LPH-3),
    • USS Oldendorf (DD-972),
    • USNS Passumpsic (T-AO-107),
    • USS Portland (LSD-37),
    • USS Princeton (CG-59),
    • USS Raleigh (LPD-1),
    • USS Tripoli (LPH-10),
    • USS Vreeland (FF-1068),
    • USS Wisconsin (BB-64),
    • USS Worden (CG-18)
  • The following ships were approved for the dates indicated:
    • USNS Comfort (T-AH-20), 1991-02-26;
    • USS Guam (LPH-9), from 1991-02-25 to 1991-02-26;
    • USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2), 1991-02-26;
    • USS Ogden (LPD-5), from 1991-02-25 to 1991-02-26;
    • USS Missouri (BB-63), from 1991-02-12 to 1991-02-25;
    • VC-6 Detachment.
  • EODMU Detachments:
    • USS Richmond K. Turner (CG-20), from 1991-02-19 to 1991-02-24;
    • USS Valley Forge (CG-50), from 1991-02-16 to 1991-02-28;
    • USS Leader (MSO-490), 1991-03-23.
• El Salvador, from 1981-01-01 to 1992-02-01.
• Operation Restore Hope (Somalia),from 1992-12-05 to 1995-03-01. (no ships qualified)
• Cambodia, from 1992-06-01 to 1993-11-15.
• Operation Assured Response (Monrovia, Liberia), from 1996-04-07 to 1996-04-18. (no ships qualified).
• Kosovo Campaign. Specific units designated from 1999-03-24 to 2000-01-27.
• USS Cole (DDG-67) bombing, 2000-10-12.
• Operation Enduring Freedom, Personnel in direct combat and support roles.-Only one award of the CAR is authorized per operation, regardless of deployment times, and eligible combat actions.
• Operation Iraqi Freedom, Personnel in direct combat and support roles.-Only one award of the CAR is authorized per operation, regardless of deployment times, and eligible combat actions.
• Rocket attack in Aqaba, Jordan 19 August 2005, Ship's Crew only, not Marines.
  • USS Kearsarge (LHD-3
  • USS Ashland (LSD-48)

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