- Issued by
- United States Department of Defense
- Received by
- General Powell, Colin L., American, 1937 - 2021
- Subject of
- United States Army, American, founded 1775
- United States Armed Forces, American, founded 1775
- Date
- December 28, 1978
- Medium
- metal with silk (textile)
- Dimensions
- H x W x D: 3/8 × 1 3/8 × 3/16 in. (1 × 3.5 × 0.5 cm)
- Caption
- Colin Powell was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious service to the Department of Defense in 1978. Secretary of Defense Harold Brown issued the award.
- Description
- One (1) Medal for Defense Superior Service awarded to General Colin L. Powell. The medal is designed in the shape of a circular oak leaf wreath with silver five-pointed stars arced over its top half, with a blue enameled pentagon in the center, on top of which is the United States Great Seal eagle. The reverse of the medal is inscribed at the top of the rounded wreath “FOR SUPERIOR SERVICE”. On the pentagon is the inscription “FROM / THE SECRETARY / OF DEFENSE / TO”. The bottom space is empty for inscribing the name of the medal’s recipient. The medal is suspended from a double-sided silk ribbon of five striped colors, golden yellow, blue, white, and scarlet.
- Place used
- Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
- Classification
- Awards, Medals, and Insignia
- Type
- medals
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Alma J. Powell
- Object number
- A2022.101.1.55
- Restrictions & Rights
- No known copyright restrictions
- Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.




