Medal

A medal or medallion is, strictly speaking, a small, flat, and round (at times, ovoid) piece of metal that has been sculpted, molded, cast, struck, stamped, or some way marked with an insignia, portrait, or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for sporting, military, scientific, academic, or various other achievements. Military awards and decorations are more precise terms for certain types of state decoration. Medals may also be created for sale to commemorate particular individuals or events, or as works of artistic expression in their own right. In the past, medals commissioned for an individual, typically with his portrait, were often used as a form of diplomatic or personal gift, with no sense of being an award for the conduct of the recipient.

An artist who creates medals or medallions is called a "medallist" (UK) or "medalist" (US). There are also devotional medals which may be worn for religious reasons. Medals have long been popular collectible items either as a variety of exonumia or of militaria. Medals may also be produced in a rectangular shape, though these would more correctly be described as a plaquette, and official awards such as military decorations are often in shapes such as crosses or stars, but are still loosely called "medals", as in the star-shaped American Medal of Honor.

Medal (band)

Medal were an English alternative rock band from Oxford.

History

The band grew out of earlier band The Daisies, who had been active since the early 1990s and released the album "Kowloon House" in the US on Capitol Records and the single "If I Was Barry White" in 1996 on Regal Recordings in the UK. They also toured the US in 1995 supporting fellow Oxford band Supergrass. The Daisies line-up of Jamie Hyatt (vocals, guitar), Mark Willis (guitar), Daniel Kemp (bass), and Simon Wickson (drums) were joined by keyboard player Richard Brincklow and the band became Medal and signed to Polydor Records. Early singles "Ordinary", "Possibility", and "Up Here For Hours" received a lot of airplay on BBC Radio 1, and saw the band compared to The Verve. The band's debut album, Drop Your Weapon, was released in June 1999 (on A&M in the United States), and support slots with label mates Cast, The Bluetones and The Dandy Warhols followed. The album prompted the description "Indescribably complicated and bewilderingly pretentious and that's only the cover" from the NME, who compared the album to Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon. After the Porno Song EP on Polydor, Kemp left the band (replaced eventually by former Fuzzgun bassist Ollie) and they were also dropped by Polydor, prompting them to set up their own El Producto label. After two singles, the band issued their second album, Stuntman, in 2001. The band split up soon after, without touring the album or any official announcement.

Transportation 9-11 Medal

The Transportation 9-11 Medal is a special decoration of the U.S. Department of Transportation which was first created in 2002. The decoration recognizes those civilians and members of the military who performed heroic deeds and valorous accomplishments in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States of America.

The Transportation 9-11 Medal is not a simple service decoration, but rather recognizes individual acts of bravery that resulted in the saving of life or great assistance to the rescue efforts from the September 11th attacks. A separate military decoration, the Transportation 9-11 Ribbon, is presented to members of the U.S. military for general aid and assistance to the victims of the September 11th attacks.

The 9-11 Medal is a one time decoration and is authorized for wear by both civilians and members of the U.S military.

See also

References