Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina]]> Medals]]> Military decorations]]> 1938]]> Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina]]> Medals]]> Military decorations]]>
  • This award was established to recognize military virtue. It is awarded to the outstanding military cadet selected by newly-designated Distinguished Military Students each year. The award memorializes the late Capt. David J. W. Widder, Citadel class of 1959, who was killed March 24, 1965 in Vietnam.
Today, the award recognizes the distinguished military student in the Army ROTC who has best exhibited the qualities of devotion to duty, exemplary conduct, military and academic excellence and unquestionable character.

The gold medal has three different men in profile embossed on the obverse. The reverse is embossed with "Exemplified Military Virtue The Citadel." The medal is suspended from a red, white and blue ribbon and top bar is embossed with "Widder Award."
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Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina]]> Medals]]> Military decorations]]>
This medal was based on the original medal but the metal has been changed from gold to silver. The metal has a star in the center, which is filled with wood to represent the original wood from The Star of the West. The star is partially encircled by a laurel wreath. Above the star are the words "Presented To Citadel Cadets" and below the words "By B. H. Teague Aiken, S.C. July 8th 1893." The medal is suspended from two silver bars, one blank and one that is engraved with "Star Of The West Jany 9th 1861."

This medal belonged to Charles Boardman, Class of 1977, who won the award for two consecutive years, 1975-1976.]]>
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Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina]]> Medals]]> Military decorations]]>
John Francis O'Mara, Class of 1904, won the Star of the West in 1903. Besides being given ownership of the original medal for one year, he was also given this smaller medal , which was a copy of the original.

The gold medal has a star in the center, which is supposed to mimic the wooden star of the original. The star is partially encircled by a laurel wreath. Above the star are the words "Presented To Citadel Cadets" and below the words "By B. H. Teague Aiken, S.C. July 8th 1893." The back of the medal is engraved with "J.F. O'Mara 1903."]]>
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Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina]]> Medals]]> Military decorations]]>
This gold medal is composed of a medallion with the initials "WLI" engraved in the center surrounded by the words "First Prize 1905" and "1807" below. Below the medallion a gold bar is engraved with the words "Value & Virtue." Above the medallion is an eagle atop two crossed rifles. The medal is suspended from a gold top bar engraved with the name "J. F. O'Mara." J. F. O'Mara was a member of the Class of 1904 and the winner of the award.
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