Military Order of Foreign Wars

The Medal The Medal Commemorating Operations Against West Indian Pirates was licensed by the Military Order of Foreign Wars to recognize the contribution of the American Naval forces in securing freedom of the seas.

Period of Service

This medal recognizes service by members of the United States Navy in combating piracy in the West Indies from 1822 through the 1830s.

Designer

The Medal Commemorating Operations Against West Indian Pirates was designed by Nadine Russell, the Chief of Creative Heraldry at the Army’s Institute of Heraldry and the designer of many of this Nation’s campaign and service medals. This medal was privately commissioned by the Military Order of Foreign Wars.

Symbolism

Obverse

In the center of a bronze medallion, a ship’s steering wheel is superimposed over a stylized compass rose. A nautical line encircles the ship’s wheel and compass rose, passing through the major points of the compass rose. Between the nautical line and the edge of the medal, and following its contour, is the inscription, OPERATIONS AGAINST WEST INDIAN PIRATES 1822-1830’s in raised letters. The ship’s steering while, by which control of the ship is maintained, symbolizes the bringing of control to the seas by ridding it of pirates and thus alludes to the restoration of orderly and free commerce through control by American Naval power. The compass rose is a traditional symbol of direction and navigation and appears on most maritime charts; thus, the compass rose represents the maritime interests protected by the Navy’s operations against the West Indian pirates. The nautical line represents both Naval service and actions to ensure the safety of maritime commerce on the high seas through a persistent and aggressive effort to eradi-cate piracy.

Reverse

The reverse bears the seal of the Military Order of Foreign Wars: In the center of a bronze medallion, a shield bearing four swords pointing downward, two at an angle from the left, and two at an angle from the right. Above the swords is an American eagle with its wings spread, shown behind a battlement. Behind the shield is a field of thirteen stars amid a cloud formation, and above the shield is a mural circlet from which arises an arm in armor holding four thunderbolts. Beneath the shield is a banner bearing the motto, DEUS ET LIBERTAS, and beneath the banner appears the date 1894 (the date being separated, right and left). Surrounding the entire central theme is another banner, this one bearing the inscription, MILITARY ORDER OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES, and surrounding this banner is a circle of bullets.

Ribbon

The ribbon is based on the Navy’s streamer commemorating operations against West Indian pirates. It features a central stripe of dark blue bordered by a stripe of white bisected by a pinstripe of white. The ribbon is edged in gold. The dark blue represents the United States Navy; the black represents the enemy in these operations – pirates – while the white pinstripe stands for the high ideals of the operation. The gold edge stripes represent achievement and denotes the success of the Navy in crushing piracy.

Background

In the early nineteenth-century, several Latin American countries offered protection to privateers who raided Spanish maritime shipping. In time, the practice extended to ships of other nations as well, including the United States. These pirates operated out of safe havens in Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and other Caribbean ports. As the pirates became increasingly aggressive, their actions became a genuine threat to American maritime commerce. The loss to American shipping was considerable: about five hundred ships worth in excess of twenty million dollars were taken by West Indian pirates. The pirates not only took ships and their cargoes, they routinely tortured and murdered members of the crews. To deal with this problem, in 1822 the Navy established it West India Squadron. Under the leaderhsip of Commodore James Biddle, Commodore David Porter (the son of a Revenue Cutter Service skipper), and Commodore Lewis Warrington, the West Indian Squadron ultimately crushed the pirates. The task, however, was not easy. The pirates had to be relentlessly ferreted out from uncharted bays and lagoons by sailors manning open boats for extended period of time, through storms and intense heat. In addition to the dangers of combat, these sailors also risked yellow fever and malaria. Within ten years the Navy was successful in virtually eradicating the West Indian Pirates and in restoring order and safety to maritime commerce. These little-known naval actions are an important part of the United States Navy’s historical legacy.