Navy Cross

There are over 1,800 recipients of the Navy Cross which was awarded for exemplary and heroic service during World War I.

Breakout by Branch of Service

• Navy - 1,299
• Marine Corps - 392
• Coast Guard - 36
• Army - 12
• Foreign Nationals - 100

Interesting Facts

• A total of 1,298 Navy Crosses were Awarded to members of the US Navy for heroism or distinguished service during World War I including:
  •     5 Navy Chaplains (One of whom also received the Distinguished Service Cross)
  •   61 Navy Corpsmen
  • 120 Naval Aviators
  •     1 Navy Nurse (The first woman to earn the Navy Cross)
• 17 Navy Cross recipients also received the Distinguished Service Cross
•   1 Man earned TWO Navy Crosses in World War I
•   1 WWI Navy Cross recipient earned a Gold Star in Nicaragua
•   5 WWI recipients earned Gold Stars in World War II
  • One of these multiple recipients earned TWO in World War II
•   8 Men who had previously earned Medals of Honor earned the Navy Cross in World War I (including two time Medal Of Honor recipient John McCloy.)
• During the 1918 Spanish Influenza, three nurses were posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for their efforts in treating sick Navy and Marine service members.
  • Marie Louise Hidell (Naval Hospital Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
  • Edna Place (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
  • Lillian Murphy (Hampton Roads, Virginia)