- Issued by
- United States Armed Forces, American, founded 1775
- Received by
- General Powell, Colin L., American, 1937 - 2021
- Subject of
- United States Army, American, founded 1775
- United States Department of Defense
- Date
- August 8, 1972
- Medium
- enamel on gold with silk (textile)
- Dimensions
- H x W x D: 3 1/8 × 1 7/8 × 3/16 in. (7.9 × 4.8 × 0.5 cm)
- Caption
- Lt. Col. Colin Powell was first awarded the Legion of Merit in 1969 for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service in the Republic of Vietnam. He received his second Legion of Merit in 1972 while stationed in D.C. The second award of this medal is denoted by the oak leaf cluster on the ribbon.
- Description
- One (1) Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster awarded to General Colin L. Powell. It is designed in the shape of the five-armed "Maltese Asterisk" with five distinctive "arrowhead" shaped arms and ten pointed crosses with gold balls at the end of each point. Surrounding each of the five points is a gold design of swords and a green border. At the center of the medallion is a blue circle with thirteen stars. On the reverse of the medallion on the outer scroll is the engraved inscription “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and in the center circle, “ANNUIT COEPTIS MDCCLXXXII”. This translates to "He [God] Has Favored Our Undertakings". The medal is suspended from a double-sided silk crimson and white silk ribbon with a bronze oak leaf cluster attached.
- 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
- A2022.101.1.56
- Restrictions & Rights
- No known copyright restrictions
- Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.




