Navy Cross the anchors. The service ribbon is navy blue with a center stripe of white identical to the suspension ribbon of the medal. The blue alludes to naval service; the white represents the purity of selflessness. The Secretary of the Navy has only occasional opportunities to confirm that the Navy Cross has been awarded to a non-U.S. recipient. Slightly more than 100 such honors have been extended to men who were not citizens of the United States. Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States military's second-highest decoration awarded for valor in combat. The Navy Cross is awarded primarily to
Tiffany Cross Medal of Honor returned to using only the original 1862 inverted 5-point star design, and ceased issuing the award for non-combat action. During the "Tiffany Cross's" active status, the next lower naval award was the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, followed by the Navy Cross. By congressional action on 7 August 1942, in the same act that terminated the "Tiffany Cross", the Distinguished Service Medal and the Navy Cross swapped places, with the Navy Cross also becoming solely a combat award. The US Naval History & Heritage Command asserts that 28 sailors and Marines received the "Tiffany Cross", but does not provide a list.