The American Campaign Medal was created on November 6, 1942 by Franklin Roosevelt to honor the service of Americans within who had performed duty in the American theater during WWII.  These military ribbons were originally called the American Theater Ribbon, but were later expanded to military medals with the current name.  To earn these military awards, a service member must have performed a year of consecutive duty within the continental borders of the US, which included most of the Atlantic and the coastal Pacific oceans.

The American Campaign Medal was awarded for service between December 7, 1941 and March 2, 1946.  It was issued only as military ribbons during WWII, and only issued as military medals in 1947, with the first medal being awarded to General George C. Marshall. 

The American Campaign Medal is worn after the American Defense Service Medal, and before the Asia Pacific Campaign Medal in the order of precedence for military medals and ribbons.

The American Campaign Medal is generally available as military ribbons and medals from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, and can be worn as traditional full size military medals and mini medals, military ribbons and lapel pins.  Like most military medals, it is available as traditional slide-on, full size military medals or mini-medals, slide-on military ribbons, and thin military medals, mini-medals and ribbons.