COUNTY:
Korean / Republic of Korea (ROK)
NAME:
Korean Order of Military Merit, Chung Mu Class (Somes written as "Chungmu" or "Chung-Mu")
DESCRIPTION:
This is an order for military merit that ranks below the Ulchi and Taeguk, but above the Wharang medal.
RIBBON:
The ribbon is 1 3/8 inches wide and consists of a blue or bluish grey background with a Korean blue and red ying-yang in the center (either printed or embroidered). The ying and yang is flanked on each side by two white stripes.
CRITERIA:
It is the third highest decoration awarded by the Republic of Korea for military merit.
This decoration is commonly listed among the awards for high ranking American officers of all service branches involved in the Korean War and Vietnam War.
The decoration is primiarly given out to for command leadership roles involving extreme resistance to the Chinese Army and continuous loyalty to the U.S. military and the preservation of South Korea. The award is known to have been bestowed upon American prisioners of war who continuously refused to give in to Chinese interrogations.
South Korean Minister of National Defense often presented the decoration during a ceremony.
DESIGNS & HISTORY:
The "Chung Mu" class is named after Admiral Yi Sun-Sin of the Joseon Dynasty, who was given the name "chung-mu" which means loyalty and chivalry. This Korean admiral is the reputed inventor of the first armored battleship (called a Turle Ship) in 1592. These ships are believed to be the forerunners of today's modern submarine.
Today the decoration includes a medal worn on a neck ribbon and ribbon bar. The ribbon bar is slightly different today, as you can see below, from the modern decoration. It is believed the change in design occurred sometime during the 1960s (perhaps in 1961).
