Sponsored by:

Navy Federal Credit Union

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Rear Admiral Ralph Earle, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance. In this capacity Rear Admiral Earle accomplished the origination of the mine barrage across the North Sea known as the Northern Barrage, the making of a type of mine entirely new to mining warfare, the conception and execution of the 14″ naval railway battery operations carried out in France, the supplying a safe and reliable depth charge in sufficient quantities on time, and other naval ordnance projects carried out during World War I.

Awards Received

  • Army Distinguished Service Medal

    Service:

    United States Navy

    Rank:

    Rear Admiral

    Division:

    Bureau of Ordnance

    Action Date:

    World War I
    War Department, General Orders No. 2 (1920)

    The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Rear Admiral Ralph Earle, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I, as Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Department, during the World War, in which position, by his close cooperation and energetic efforts, he greatly assisted the War Department in the arming of its troops and cargo transports.