Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73not60
§9277 Medal of Honor; Air Force Cross; Distinguished-service Cross; Distinguished-service Medal; Silver Star: Replacement
Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle D— Air Force and Space Force › Part II— PERSONNEL › Chapter 937— DECORATIONS AND AWARDS › § 9277
Summary
Five medals—the Medal of Honor, the Air Force Cross, the Distinguished‑Service Cross, the Distinguished‑Service Medal, and the Silver Star—and any bars, ribbons, rosettes, or other pieces worn with them will be replaced for free if they are stolen, lost, destroyed, or become unusable. The replacement happens only if the person who earned the medal did not cause the loss or was not careless.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §9277
Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Any medal of honor, Air Force cross, distinguished-service cross, distinguished-service medal, or silver star, or any bar, ribbon, rosette, or other device issued for wear with or in place of any of them, that is stolen, lost, or destroyed, or becomes unfit for use, without fault or neglect of the person to whom it was awarded, shall be replaced without charge.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 874710:1416.July 9, 1918, ch. 143 (14th par. under “Ordnance Department”), 40 Stat. 871. The words “issued for wear with or in place of any of them” are inserted for clarity. The words “presented under the provisions of this title” and “such medal, cross, bar, ribbon, rosette, or device” are omitted as surplusage.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 8747 of this title as this section. 2001—Pub. L. 107–107 substituted “stolen, lost,” for “lost”. 1960—Pub. L. 86–593 inserted “Air Force cross” in section catchline and in text.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of
Amendments
and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 9277
Title 10 — Armed Forces
Last Updated
Apr 3, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60