 
                             PART I--CRIMES
 
                CHAPTER 33--EMBLEMS, INSIGNIA, AND NAMES
 
Sec. 704. Military medals or decorations

    (a) In General.--Whoever knowingly wears, manufactures, or sells any 
decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the 
United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the 
members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such 
badge, decoration or medal, or any colorable imitation thereof, except 
when authorized under regulations made pursuant to law, shall be fined 
under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.
    (b) Congressional Medal of Honor.--
        (1) In general.--If a decoration or medal involved in an offense 
    under subsection (a) is a Congressional Medal of Honor, in lieu of 
    the punishment provided in that subsection, the offender shall be 
    fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
        (2) Definitions.--(A) As used in subsection (a) with respect to 
    a Congressional Medal of Honor, ``sells'' includes trades, barters, 
    or exchanges for anything of value.
        (B) As used in this subsection, ``Congressional Medal of Honor'' 
    means a medal awarded under section 3741, 6241, or 8741 of title 10.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 732; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, Sec. 16, 
63 Stat. 92; Pub. L. 103-322, title XXXII, Sec. 320109, title XXXIII, 
Sec. 330016(1)(E), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2113, 2146; Pub. L. 103-
442, Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4630; Pub. L. 104-294, title VI, 
Sec. 604(b)(16), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3507.)


                      Historical and Revision Notes

                            1948 Act

    Based on section 1425 of title 10, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Army and Air 
Force (Feb. 24, 1923, ch. 110, 42 Stat. 1286; Apr. 21, 1928, ch. 392, 45 
Stat. 437).
    Section was made to cover the decorations and medals of the Navy 
Department as well as the War Department.
    Minor changes were made in phraseology.

                            1949 Act

    This section [section 16] clarifies the wording of section 704 of 
title 18, U.S.C., to embrace all service decorations awarded to members 
of the armed forces whether by the Army, Navy, Air Force, or other 
branch of such forces. (See note to sec. 5 [of 1949 Act, set out in 
Legislative History note under section 244 of title 18]).


                               Amendments

    1996--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104-294 amended Pub. L. 103-322, 
Sec. 320109(1). See 1994 Amendment note below.
    1994--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103-322, Secs. 320109(2), 330016(1)(E), 
amended subsec. (a) identically, substituting ``fined under this title'' 
for ``fined not more than $250''.
    Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 320109(1), as amended by Pub. L. 104-294, 
Sec. 604(b)(16), designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and 
inserted heading.
    Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 320109(3), added subsec. (b).
    Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 103-442 inserted ``, 6241, or 8741'' 
after ``3741''.
    1949--Act May 24, 1949, covered all service decorations awarded 
members of the armed forces by any of the armed services.


                    Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 104-294 effective Sept. 13, 1994, see section 
604(d) of Pub. L. 104-294, set out as a note under section 13 of this 
title.
