Authorization. M.C.G.O. No. 33 of 8 May 1919.

Eligibility Requirements. Awarded to U.S. Marine Corps service members who have actually landed on foreign territory and engaged in operations against armed opposition, or operated under circumstances deemed to merit special recognition and for which no service or campaign medal was awarded. Only personnel who were attached to one of the ships/units listed in the notice/instruction at some time during the respective periods shown, and who actually participated in the given operation, are eligible for the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal. This includes personnel attached to a squadron or unit embarked in a ship during the eligible period for that ship. Members of rear echelons, transients, observers and personnel assigned for short periods of Temporary Additional Duty (TAD) or Training Duty (TD) are not normally eligible for the award. However, consideration will be given in those instances when the local commander certifies a particular and significant contribution by an individual. Such certification should be submitted to the CNO/CMC via the fleet commander who exercised operational control in the area involved. CMC maintains a list of eligible ships/units.

The following are recently authorized expeditions:

Commanding officers shall make appropriate service record entries for eligible enlisted personnel and issue letters of eligibility for eligible officer personnel. No citation or certificate will be issued.