properly speaking, the "commemorative medal for naval engagements in the west indies", it took its popular name from the fact that its obverse shows a portrait of rear admiral william t. sampson. the ribbon, red with a wide central blue stripe, is suspended from a bronze pin bearing the name of the ship on which the individual served. bronze bars are pinned to the front of the ribbon for each engagement with the enemy. no attachments were worn on the ribbon bar. waller's medal had a ship's pin inscribed "uss indiana", and four engagement bars - "san juan porto rico", for the occupation of that city, and three bars inscribed "santiago", for the siege, for the great battle of july 3, 1898, and for the occupation of the city. it was awarded in 1901.