Combat Action Medal

Also, no ribbon device is authorized for wear in AFI 36-2803 to denote subsequent awards of the CAM, which normally would be oak leaf clusters.

"[13] Gamble based the silver medal's design and ribbon color (scarlet with ten yellow stripes) from the circular insignia[14] painted on planes which were piloted by Brigadier General William "Billy" Mitchell, including a French-built SPAD XVI (SPAD 16) fighter aircraft he piloted in France during World War I.

[17] A laurel wreath surrounds the medal's eagle emblem executed in a simple, linear Art Deco style.

The eagle with a national flag shield with thirteen perpendicular stripes on its breast faces right, over the right talon clutching arrows (represents the power of war), to reflect that this is a combat medal.

The reverse side of the medal contains two rows of words written on a scroll at the center of the eagle, "U.S. Air Force" and "Combat Action".

Billy Mitchell's SPAD XVI he flew in World War I with a Lewis twin machine gun mounted in the rear cockpit . The aircraft is now located at the National Air and Space Museum.
The first Combat Action Medals were awarded to six Airmen on June 12, 2007. (Front row, left to right): Maj. Steven Raspet, Senior Master Sgt. Ramon Colon-Lopez, Capt. Allison Black. Back row, left to right: Master Sgt. Byron Allen, Master Sgt. Charlie Peterson, Staff Sgt. Daniel Paxton.