Original Item: Only One Available. This is a wonderful example of a rather hard to find United States Marine Corps Campaign Medal, awarded for operations during the Nicaraguan Civil War. Marines were ordered ashore in Nicaragua in 1927 to stop the ongoing civil war and protect American lives and economic interests. The Marines disarmed both parties and established a non-partisan national guard to support elections and counter the remaining armed Liberal General, Augusto Sandino.

The Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal is a campaign medal of the United States Navy (and Marine Corps) which was authorized by an act of the United States Congress on 8 November 1929. The Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal was awarded for service during operations in Nicaragua from 1926 to 1933, during the Nicaraguan civil war and the subsequent occupation. An earlier campaign medal, the Nicaraguan Campaign Medal, was awarded for service in Nicaragua 1912.

The Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal was created by General Orders 197 of the Navy Department and approved by Congress to recognize participation by Navy and Marine Corps personnel in naval operations at Nicaragua between 27 August 1926 and 2 January 1933.

The Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal appeared as a medal suspended from a red ribbon with several white stripes. The medal displayed a woman (representing Columbia), armed with a sword, defending two other figures with a cloak. The medal bore the words Second Nicaraguan Campaign with the dates 1926 – 1930 displayed on the medal's edges (although the medal was authorized until 1933). The rim is numbered with M. No. 255 and after research it appears that there are no existing medal rolls for Marine Corps issued campaign medals, though through perseverance, we are confident that further research can be conducted.

To be awarded the Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal, a service member must have either served ashore during the specified period or on a United States ship, or as an embarked Marine, in the waters or land territory of Nicaragua during the aforementioned dates.

The Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal was considered a separate award from the first version of the medal and Navy regulations permitted the receipt and wear of both medals, if so authorized. Rear Admiral W. H. H. Southerland, who had been in overall command of both Nicaraguan campaigns, was the first recipient of both versions of the Nicaraguan Campaign Medal.

A wonderful condition medal that comes more than ready for further research and display.