The Specially Meritorious Service Medal was authorized by Joint Resolution of Congress No. 18 of March 3, 1901. The Navy Department felt that in addition to a medal to commemorate naval engagements in the West Indies during the Spanish–American War, a medal for specially meritorious service by officers and men of the Navy and Marine Corps was warranted. After Congressional approval and production of medals by the U.S. Mint, a Navy Board of Awards published a list of 71 names of recommended recipients in January 1904. They were forwarded to the Mint for engraving. The board approved an additional 35 names ending with Paymaster William Galt in 1912. John Strandberg and Allen Menke compiled this roll for their monograph: The Specially Meritorious Medal. With several spuriously engraved SMMs identified in the course of research, this list should be helpful to collectors and researchers. Photo courtesy Adam Rohloff.