History

The Merchant Marine Medal (1945) was established by the Government of the Polish Republic in exile in 1945 and was officially recognised by the Republic of Poland in 1992.

It was awarded to members of the Polish Merchant Marine who served for a minimum of 6 months from 1939-1945 on ships involved in naval operations, and to non-combat personnel who served for a minimum of 12 months during the same period. It could be awarded to the same person up to four times, in which case each subsequent award was denoted by a ribbon bar with oak leaves.

The Silver Medal features a reverse inscription that translates to "Poland, To Its Sailor."

There may be additional versions of the Silver Medal that differ in size.