To receive a Citation Star, an individual had to be officially cited in orders by a General Order Number. The Citation Star is authorized retroactively to denote being cited for gallantry in action back to the
American Civil War. General
Henry Jervey, Office of the Chief of Staff, in a letter dated February 26, 1926, wrote: The Secretary of War directs as follows - The following is the amended version of paragraph 187 of Army Regulation: "No more than one
Medal of Honor or one
Distinguished Service Cross or one
Distinguished Service Medal shall be issued to any one person, but for each succeeding or act sufficient to justify the award of a Medal of Honor or Distinguished Service Cross or Distinguished Service Medal, respectively, a bronze
oak leaf cluster, shall be issued in lieu thereof; and
for each citation of an officer or enlisted man for gallantry in action, published in orders from headquarters of a force commanded by a general officer, not warranting the issue of a Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross or Distinguished Service Medal,
he shall wear a silver star, inch in diameter, as prescribed in Uniform Regulations." Army Regulation 600-40 specified that the "Citation Star" would be worn above a
campaign clasp on the suspension ribbon of the medal and to the wearer's right of the bronze
service stars on the service ribbon. Authorized Army Citation Stars may be worn on the following service medals: •
World War I Victory Medal •
Civil War Campaign Medal •
Indian Campaign Medal •
Spanish Campaign Medal •
Philippine Campaign Medal •
China Campaign Medal •
Mexican Service Medal ==Silver Star Medal==