Airborne-Hunter Posted April 4, 2020 Share #1 Posted April 4, 2020 This is an interesting ribbon bar set that I recently picked up. I bought it because of the early Silver Life Saving Ribbon. The ribbons are ostensibly to a navy guy and the last row appears to be VFW and a society medal (if I remember correctly). The GCM, Philippine Campaign, Navy Expeditionary, Victory and possibly the reserve medal make sense. However the Philippine Liberation medal does not seem to fit. So is a ribbon bar missing in the middle or is that ribbon a place holder for an earlier Navy Philippine medal or am I missing something. I have no name for the ribbons. Any thoughts? Best ABN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMariner Posted April 4, 2020 Share #2 Posted April 4, 2020 What does the back look like ? My first thought would be the same as your the Philipines Liberation isn't really matching the rest of the ribbons. It could be put together! My other issue is the wear pattern on the top ribbon is dramatically different from the rest of the ribbons, maybe its just the imagines but it seems a bit off to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gijoeonthego Posted April 4, 2020 Share #3 Posted April 4, 2020 My opinion the top ribbon looks like a light gray or light blue on the sides of it. If it is a light blue it could be a faded Medal Of Honor with top removed and ribbon residue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtA Posted April 4, 2020 Share #4 Posted April 4, 2020 Just a bit too weird to be made up (by a collector) . I think an old salt in the Naval Reserves (not subject to by-the-book uniform regs) wore this post WW2. He probably (incorrectly) associated the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with his USN service in the Philippines in the early 1900's and thought he was entitled to wear it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeclown Posted April 4, 2020 Share #5 Posted April 4, 2020 I think the top one is ok it may be the longer length Silver Life Saving ribbon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtA Posted April 4, 2020 Share #6 Posted April 4, 2020 As far as the wear on the Silver Life Saving ribbon not matching the rest - By the late 40's it was probably difficult to get this sort of ribbon. He probably recycled a ribbon bar he had been wearing for decades and it may have already been exhibiting wear. I like the set. In it's strange unique way, it rings "true" to me. I would have bought it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne-Hunter Posted April 4, 2020 Author Share #7 Posted April 4, 2020 Here's the back - it looks like an honest set not a put together Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMariner Posted April 4, 2020 Share #8 Posted April 4, 2020 The back concerns me even more to be honest, again maybe its your images but that stitching looks very recent. I wouldn't put it past a collector to build this rack with an error it happens all the time. Without a back ground I dont think I would be comfortable unless it was coming from a very reputable source! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne-Hunter Posted April 4, 2020 Author Share #9 Posted April 4, 2020 For what its worth: The bottom ribbon is a confirmed original Treasury Silver Life Saving Medal. It was found at a small show probably the better half of 15 years ago. Doug Boyce, when he was alive, at that time reviewed the ribbon and ran the history on the paperwork/dog tags. It traced out to a confirmed recipient of the medal. The top ribbon is the ribbon from the bar set above. The one bar is faded, but from the back the color is a spot on match. The length of the ribbon bar is a spot on to both originals I have. The only difference is the width 3/8 on the two from the one group and 1/2" on this one to match the other 1/2" navy ribbons. I am confident it is a Treasury Life Saving Medal. The combination of ribbons is somewhat baffling. I wish I knew the name of the recipient. ABN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocsfollowme Posted April 4, 2020 Share #10 Posted April 4, 2020 THe bottom center is an american legion ribbon...though backwards as the lighter green is on the left side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMariner Posted April 4, 2020 Share #11 Posted April 4, 2020 My question would not be the authenticity of the ribbon itself, but of the bar as a whole. Someone may have restored an original set or a collector may have built a set from period ribbon(or purely to fool collectors), this is also not all that uncommon. Not that veterans didn't make errors in their mounting of ribbons but the mounting looks to me to be done much more recently then the period in which the ribbons were earned. USNR medal was not awarded until 1938, the Philippines Liberation campaign ribbon wasn't even available until late 1948. Philippines Campaign medal was issued until 1913 at the latest. That would mean you're wanting me to assume this man served over 25 years and only earned 1 Navy GCM. Even removing the Philippines Liberation ribbon that still leaves the USNR medal which most certainly he wouldn't have received until 1939 and as far as I know it wasn't retro active. WAY to many issues with this bar, I see someone else just mentioned the legion ribbon was mounted wrong. The amount of issues would make me avoid it like the plague, not to mention I seemingly remember other bars with similar stitching that were coming from an ebay seller and felt contrived to me( I cant for my life remember the user name though). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airborne-Hunter Posted April 4, 2020 Author Share #12 Posted April 4, 2020 The back concerns me even more to be honest, again maybe its your images but that stitching looks very recent. I wouldn't put it past a collector to build this rack with an error it happens all the time. Without a back ground I dont think I would be comfortable unless it was coming from a very reputable source! A collector building a rack would use slide ribbons. They wouldn't take the time to sew everything. Even if they did I don't know anyone who has correct period Treasury Life Saving Medal Ribbon. Who has all the period correct ribbon to sew these? Very, very few people. None of whom would make the glaring error that is the Philippine Lib. Moreso, if someone was building a bar group, why would they take the time for 2 VFW ribbons and a fraternal? I could buy the argument its copied from a known original set. But again it came without a name. I would expect a faker to have the name or something else to go with it. Put it on a uniform ect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeclown Posted April 5, 2020 Share #13 Posted April 5, 2020 Would a UV light of the sewing on the back be able to determine anything about the time frame? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtA Posted April 5, 2020 Share #14 Posted April 5, 2020 Ok. Why would some evil militaria fake peddler go to all the trouble to create this? It certainly doesn't replicate some well known rare and desirable item that would be easy to sell. It's of relatively low value, so investing time to create it wouldn't be worthwhile. I feel confident it has a legit origin. Unfortunately, being un-named, we'll never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gijoeonthego Posted April 6, 2020 Share #15 Posted April 6, 2020 Thanks for showing the back. The front picture looks like the top was removed not faded that why I said MOH. Now, I see the back and it's not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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