REF Thread: Spanish Campaign Medal

[Darrell]

Spanish Campaign Medal – Navy and Marine Corps

 

The Spanish Campaign Medal was established by Special Order No. 81 on 27 June 1908, for issue to Navy and Marine Corps personnel who had participated in the Pacific Naval Campaign of the Spanish-American War. Award criteria were relaxed in the early 1920’s to allow issue of the medal to all Navy and Marine Corps personnel who served during the Spanish War. Medals listed after this change were issued unnumbered and are not included in the issue totals. Approximately 2,500 Naval Personnel received the medal along with 950 Marines.

 

The original ribbon for the Spanish Campaign Medal was identical to that of the West Indies Campaign medal. However, in 1913 the ribbon was changed to coincide with the yellow and blue ribbon adopted by the Army.

 

*The Call of Duty – New Expanded Version – 2nd Edition 2004*

[bobgee]

In the 20's the Marine Corps had expended their supply of USMC reverse and stamped rim-numbered Spanish Campaigns. The first numbered USMC reverse Spanish War medals, 1 to 400 were struck by BB&B (Bailey, Banks & Biddle of Philadelphia) in 1908 with a "West Indies" obverse and these are quite scarce. Then the next group, with the "Spanish Campaign" obverse also by BB&B, struck in 1914 was numbered from 401 to 800. A small run of 50 medals with engraved numbers from 801 to 850 was produced for the USMC by BB&B in 1918. The first Bastian Bros. contract, all with the U.S. Navy reverse was dtd 4-2-1922 and a run of medals was produced with the USMC issues having theirs ENGRAVED with rim numbers from 851 to 1250. In 1923 another run of 100 medals was produced again with engraved rim numbers from 1251 to 1350. The Navy did not number their Bastian Bros. contract medals. (Reference "The Gleim Medal Letters 1971-1997).

 

A few years ago a small stock of these interesting 3-ring suspension medals came on the market, un-numbered and in mint condition, in a small brown envelope. They show up on EBay and other medal auctions and lists from time to time.

[siling]

This medal is in my collection. I has bought him with 2 bars from NGCM. I think it is orginal from period.

Who produced this medals? I read that this medal had number from 1 to 6050. Who has received this medal?

 

[siling]

and this...

[KurtA]

Nice original first issue medal with the original brooch and 2nd style ribbon. These were manufactured by the Bailey Banks & Biddle company . It’s very unlikely the number on this particular medal can be traced to the original recipient.

Kurt

[MWalsh]

This was a recent find. It is missing the ribbon and it is getting a very dark patina to it, but it is what it is. The rim number on it is No. 7473, I believe that falls in the traceable range.

 

The seller on this one hails from Missouri and hits sales there, Texas, and Oklahoma it sounded like, so I am curious as to who this one may attribute out to. About two weeks ago I got a copy of the Philippine Congressional medal attribution book, the last one I do not have is the Spanish Campaign Medal book.

 

Can anyone help clue me in as to recipient info on this one?

 

Thanks!

MW

 

 

[MWalsh]

 

[MWalsh]

[USMCR79]

Issued 3/8/18 to Pvt. John W. Sampson - Army Service School Detachment

 

Philippine Campaign 16164 - Pvt. "F" Company 9th Infantry

 

SAMPSON, JOHN W

WORLD WAR I

DATE OF BIRTH: 10/02/1872

DATE OF DEATH: 02/12/1949

BURIED AT: SECTION 34 ROW 13 SITE 20

LEAVENWORTH NATIONAL CEMETERY

150 MUNCIE ROAD LEAVENWORTH, KS 66048

(913) 758-4105

 

Bill

[shrapneldude]

 

Picked this up recently and it just looks off to me. Anyone know what I have here?

First off -- the split brooch seems thinner than most other medal brooches I've seen, and there's an extra ring between the planchet and the drape. Any info on this piece would be helpful and greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

Thin one on the left in this photo.

 

 

There's also this funny catch thing on the pin.

 

 

 

Looks like the suspension ring was soldered on at 90 degrees too far and they had to stick another ring in there?

Is this a Studley medal that someone re-ribboned?

 

 

Now -- any chance this one was awarded to a Marine and not a sailor, or were Marines always awarded the one with "Marine Corps" on the reverse?

[KurtA]

That style brooch and 3 ring suspension are unique to this particular medal (as far as Federal campaign medals go).

[Javelin4life]

As everyone else said, it's a standard 3-ring suspension made by the Bastian Brothers. The pinning broach is also a little thinner than most split wrap broaches

[bobgee]

Around 1926 the USMC awarded rim-ENGRAVED number medals of this type to Marines after they had run out of BBB numbered medals. I have a couple in my collection. Nice find. Semper Fi......Bobgee

[Tim B]

I would say Navy issue, Marines had their own medal for the same campaign. I can't imagine a Marine accepting a medal with "Navy" if the Marines had their own version.

 

I was going to add some comments to a previous post which appears to be gone now. This Bastion Brothers contract was from 1923 and is shown on Pg. 271 of The Call of Duty. The brooch and stitching appears correct and period IMO. Here's one for comparison. I think these have been discussed previously here as well.

 

Tim

[Tim B]

Close ups of the brooch and particular style catch.

[Tim B]

One thing about the Bastion Brothers verisons are the sharp details.

 

Mine has a mark on the rim at 6 o'clock, but it really doesn't match anything else I've seen, so I tend to think its a spurious mark at this point.

[0811gysgt]

Around 1926 the USMC awarded rim-ENGRAVED number medals of this type to Marines after they had run out of BBB numbered medals. I have a couple in my collection. Nice find. Semper Fi......Bobgee

 

These USMC issued Bastion Brothers with the engraved numbers are pretty rare in deed. They were numbered 851-1350. I have number 1132. I will post a pic soon.

[bobgee]

Getting it right - BB&B that's Bailey, Banks & Biddle of Philadelphia produced the first USMC reverse Spanish Campaign medals with plain numbers from 401 - 700 between 1908 &1910. A 2nd BB&B run numbered from 701 to 800 was made in 1914. Between 1918 & 1922 BB&B produced another 50 medals with ENGRAVED numbers from 801 to 850. With relaxed regulations governing SpanAm War service many more Marines * Sailors claimed service medals. When the supply of USMC reverse Spanish Campaign medals was exhausted the USMC obtained a supply of the Bastian Bros. Navy-reverse medals, and issued them with ENGRAVED numbers upon application, first numbered from 851 to 1250 and another lot numbered 1251 to 1350. It was never a choice of "acceptance" to the recipient......it was what they were sent. There was a precedent to Marines receiving medals with a Navy reverse as the 1915 Haitian Campaign was only produced with a Navy reverse and was awarded to both sailors and Marines. Semper Fi.......Bobgee

[0811gysgt]

Here is a pic of USMC issued engraved # 1132 with the Navy reverse.

[0811gysgt]

Close up of engraved number...

[Adam R]

I just ran across the following correspondence in my files from the National Archives. (I found it while looking for something else, which always seems to be the case.) The first letter is a 1922 request from the Commandant to the Quartermaster for 500 Spanish Campaign Medals.

 

 

 

[Adam R]

The reply below. (According to Allen Menke’s campaign medal chart in The Gleim Medal Letters the additional 100 medals were obtained the following year.) All were identical to the medals shown earlier in this thread.

[Wake1941]

Hello not sure if this is good, only pictures I have they are asking 65.00 for the medal what do these go for and is this one good thanks

[Wake1941]

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[Wake1941]

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