Medal is a large gold hue gilt-bronze star which displays a " Silver Star in the center of the medal hung from a red, white, and blue ribbon. Recipients of the Citation Star could exchange the award for the medal. In August 1932, Douglas MacArthur received the first Silver Star Medal, with one silver and one bronze oak leaf cluster converted from seven Citation Stars he received for World War I. An act of Congress authorized the Silver Star Medal for the Navy on 7 August and the Army on 16 December 1942 during World War II (retroactive to 7 December 1941). The Army referred to the award as the "Silver Star" and the Navy referred to the award as the "Silver Star Medal". Additional awards from the Navy are denoted by gold and silver " stars. The Department of Defense (DoD) refers to the decoration as the "Silver Star Medal" (SSM). Also during World War II, a silver inch "service star" began being worn on certain medals in lieu of five bronze inch service stars. Navy Commendation Star The Department of the Navy also authorized a inch "silver star" named the Navy Commendation Star (Navy Letter of Commendation Star) for those sailors and marines commended for performance of duty by the Secretary of the Navy which also was to be placed on the World War I Victory Medal for each citation. The Army and Navy inch Silver Stars were not considered equivalent awards, however, as the Navy Commendation Star could not be exchanged for the Silver Star Medal. At the start of World War II, the Navy Commendation Star was declared obsolete and none were issued after 1941. In 1943, a Navy Commendation Ribbon was authorized. In the 1950s, the Department of the Navy began accepting applications from eligible World War I veterans who were authorized the Navy Commendation Star to be reissued the Navy Commendation Ribbon with Metal Pendant. In 1960 and 1994, this decoration was renamed the Navy Commendation Medal and Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. Additional awards of this medal are also denoted by gold and silver " stars. See also United States military award devices References Devices and accouterments of United States military awards Awards established in 1918 1932 disestablishments in the United States 1918 establishments in the United States