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PTO Medal w/Arrow Head & Stars


Edelweisse
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Hi Folks, I recently picked this PTO period medal up and I couldn't pass it up...it has an arrowhead, a silver star and a bronze star..... Would this be USMC or US Army? Bottom line: I just like it

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It's an Army version of the medal. Invasion arrowhead w/ 6 battle stars. U.S. Mint examples have a sharp edge around the rim and they are thicker than an Army example. The suspension knob is also rounded more than a U.S. Mint axample.

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I wonder which US Army units would qualify for this...especially nice the PTO was mostly fought by USMC etc.... but I could be wrong. 11th ABN?

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I wonder which US Army units would qualify for this...especially nice the PTO was mostly fought by USMC etc.... but I could be wrong. 11th ABN?

Not the 11th Airborne; they qualified for 3 battle stars (New Guinea; Leyte & Luzon).

 

I would like to point out the USMC did not fight most of the battles in the PTO. There were many more Army Divisions (17) involved than USMC ones (6).

 

This medal with its six campaigns does not match any Division I know of; perhaps an amphibious battalion or an engineer outfit. Something battalion or maybe regiment size.

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Good point....Amphibious Bn or Engineer unit. Thanks for the info about all the US Army involvement in the Pacific. I stand corrected.

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teufelhunde.ret

Not the 11th Airborne; they qualified for 3 battle stars (New Guinea; Leyte & Luzon).

I would like to point out the USMC did not fight most of the battles in the PTO. There were many more Army Divisions (17) involved than USMC ones (6).

Suggest you look into the definitions of military science; what constitutes a campaign and that which qualifies as a battle, prior to engaging further dialogue here. BTW, there were 21 active Army Divisions in theater during WW2 and only 5 active USMC in theater at any time. FYI the arrow head device was awarded to Army units for active participation during an amphibious landing, under fire.
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Suggest you look into the definitions of military science; what constitutes a campaign and that which qualifies as a battle, prior to engaging further dialogue here. BTW, there were 21 active Army Divisions in theater during WW2 and only 5 active USMC in theater at any time. FYI the arrow head device was awarded to Army units for active participation during an amphibious landing, under fire.

Thank you for your warm comments.

I apologize for my poor memory.

 

As for my earlier comment I stand by it; I am increasingly annoyed by the condescending tone and dismissive arrogance used by some members of this forum.

 

If it makes one feel superior to constantly correct others so be it. It does not provide an open environment for the exchange of information which I thought was the point of forums such as this one.

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As for my earlier comment I stand by it;

 

 

Given the definition of campaign vs battle, what are you using as the basis for your stance? Just trying to understand what you are using as the criteria for your stance.

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

 

Given the definition of campaign vs battle, what are you using as the basis for your stance? Just trying to understand what you are using as the criteria for your stance.

 

Good question!

 

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I like the medal it looks great. Without know who it belonged to we will never know just why the combination is on the ribbon. It may be something as simple as the guy just grabbed a silver and a bronze star without realizing, or he was bounced from unit to unit,who knows. All the back and forth detracts from the conversation in my opinion.

Bob

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Given the definition of campaign vs battle, what are you using as the basis for your stance? Just trying to understand what you are using as the criteria for your stance.

The context of my post is lost due to the fact I was speaking of a post that was deleted by the moderators.

 

My stance regarding "battle" stars is simply; they have been called battle, campaign, patrol and I'm sure other names by the men and women who earned them during WWII. I believe any and all of these terms are correct and no one is more correct. If one uses the blanket term "campaign" star then the following US Navy battles become independent campaigns:

Pearl Harbor (12/07/1941)

Coral Sea (05/04-08/42)

Midway (06/03-06/42)

 

Most people due not consider these battles separate campaigns of the war. The same is true of the naval battles in the Solomon Islands in 1942-1943; the Army considered the matter two campaigns; Guadalcanal and Northern Solomons while the US Navy lists something like 9 separate engagements. Which is correct to call campaign or battle? I say it depends on the situation and each case is different.

 

Adding to this flexibility is the use of "battle" stars to represent war patrols by submarines; these were not campaigns but missions/patrols each one of which was recognized by a star on the campaign ribbon. Again to me these are not campaign or even battle stars yet some have called them by these names.

 

As to the award listed I have no idea what unit could be represented; it has been stated by one poster that only amphibious landings under fire counted; this is not correct, airborne landings also were awarded the bronze arrowhead device. How under fire one had to be seems to have depended on the command authorizing the award with some flexibility being noticed during the war.

 

The point of my original post was to say I think it is impolite to correct someone for using a term such as battle in place of campaign when discussing the stars on a campaign ribbon. It does not add to the subject at hand and comes away as a backhanded slight in my opinion.

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​Thanks Bob....I like the medal..and it could be a vet put together but I doubt it. Bottom line...I like it. I didn't expect the battle vs. campaign discussion. I own a small 17th ABN group and I looked at the ribbon bar,,,,and it had an arrow head and 3 bronze stars....so as stated above...not for 17th ABN. Oh well...nice medal.

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