Faithful Service - The Naval Reserve Medal

[jmar]

Hi Terry,

 

You are correct! HLP is the mark for His Lordship aka later as Lordship Industries marked as LI-GI (in a few different font styles),

 

The earlier HLP examples are among some of the finest more recently made medals IMHO, the Navy Expeditionary Medal made by HLP (rim marked HLP, ring suspension) is a stunning medal.

 

Your example has that quality finish found on those early Lordship strikes.

 

Thanks for posting it.

 

Best wishes,

 

Joe

[Tim B]

Irishgunner:

 

The March 1943 award regulations listed Good Conduct Medals (Navy, Marine, Coast Guard) as well as the Naval Reserve Medal under the "Miscellaneous Medals" category. As such, they fell after or below the service/campaign medals in order of precedence.

 

However, by June 1946, the Good Conduct Medals (GCM) were moved up in precedence to fall behind the (at the time) lowest unit award which was the Navy Unit Commendation (ribbon). The GCM's preceeded the Treasury gold and silver Lifesaving Medals. At that time, the Naval Reserve Medal was still listed lower than the service/campaign medals. Keep in mind that, although the three WW2 area campaign medals existed in ribbon form, the medals did not actually get issued out until June 1948, so no medal bars with area campaign medals existed prior to that.

 

By July 1947, the awards regulations now listed the Naval Reserve Medal immediately following the Good Conduct Medals in order of precedence. I believe that precedence stayed in effect until 1950/51 when the new Armed Forces Reserve Medal (AFRM) came into being. The criteria was not identical and caused both medals to undergo several amendments in the regulations. Naval personnel could initially elect which medal they wanted awarded (but not both for the same period of service) until September 1958 when the AFRM superceded the Naval Reserve Medal completely. If you look at the regulations today, the AFRM falls at the bottom of the service/campaign medals in precedence, which is where the Naval Reserve Medal would place as well, if still in use today.

 

So, IMO, your ribbon bar is correct as shown. Probably circa 1948 to 1950 timeframe. I've seen several medal bars that had both the Navy Good Conduct as well as the Naval Reserve Medal and both preceeded the area campaign medals. If you have a copy of Strandburg's "Call of Duty", they show a good example of such on page 227.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Tim

[Terry K.]

Thanks Joe and Tim,

I would guess my medal is from late 50,s to early 70's. Is that what you think?

Terry

[jmar]

Thanks Joe and Tim,

I would guess my medal is from late 50,s to early 70's. Is that what you think?

Terry

Hi Terry,

 

From my understanding the HLPs would be the 1960's.

 

I hope that helps,

 

Joe

[Tim B]

With the "- GI", I would say late 1960's.

 

Tim

[Terry K.]

Thanks guys!

[Tom Nier]

Greetings! I found this forum when doing a search for info on the Naval Reserve Medal and greatly appreciated the info I found in this thread. I am hoping to get an opinion regarding this ribbon bar. While the colors don't seem to match exactly, I believe the ribbon in first place is the Naval Reserve Medal. What do the experts think?

 

I agree with Tim B's analysis of the shifting precedence of the NGC & NR ribbons over 1943-1946. What interested me about your ribbon bar set is the foreign award in the last place. I believe this is the Moroccan Order of Ouissam Alaouite, degree of Officer. This would confirm the EAME-North African service of this Naval Reserve officer. It also implies that he was a Lt. Cdr. or full Cdr. at the time of his Moroccan award in the degree of Officer.

[11-Bull]

jmar, great reference. I have always thought the design of this medal was quite striking. Here is an example in my collection.

[Adam R]

Here are some letters that document the issue of a bronze star for the ribbon of the medal to denote an additional award. (Twenty years service total!). I can't imagine that many of these were awarded.

 

These documents were copied from the recipient's personnel file in St. Louis. Unfortunately I don't have the medal in question.

[Adam R]

The reply / transmittal letter.

[jmar]

Hello to all,

 

Thank you for breathing life into one of my early threads! It's nice to see an old friend resurface.

 

FOR ADAM:

 

Thank you for posting the documents on the issue of a bronze star for this medal. I have a USN Dominican Campaign number 184 attributed to Lt. J o s e p h E A U S T I N of the U S S P r a i r i e. The seller (who split the group and had sold other pieces separately using BIN on Ebay before I was aware) was also offering a full wrap Naval Reserve medal with a bronze star, that was supposed to have been issued to him. His BIN price, $200, was rather outrageous (IMHO), but he ended up selling it. I always had wondered if the star was official or not. Nice to see it was!

 

Thank you and all the others who have added to my post.

 

Best wishes!

Joe

[IrishGunner]

Irishgunner:

 

The March 1943 award regulations listed Good Conduct Medals (Navy, Marine, Coast Guard) as well as the Naval Reserve Medal under the "Miscellaneous Medals" category. As such, they fell after or below the service/campaign medals in order of precedence.

 

 

So, IMO, your ribbon bar is correct as shown. Probably circa 1948 to 1950 timeframe. I've seen several medal bars that had both the Navy Good Conduct as well as the Naval Reserve Medal and both preceeded the area campaign medals. If you have a copy of Strandburg's "Call of Duty", they show a good example of such on page 227.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Tim

 

Thanks, Tim! I apologize for the very, very late post...

[IrishGunner]

 

I agree with Tim B's analysis of the shifting precedence of the NGC & NR ribbons over 1943-1946. What interested me about your ribbon bar set is the foreign award in the last place. I believe this is the Moroccan Order of Ouissam Alaouite, degree of Officer. This would confirm the EAME-North African service of this Naval Reserve officer. It also implies that he was a Lt. Cdr. or full Cdr. at the time of his Moroccan award in the degree of Officer.

 

 

Tom, actually the Moroccan ribbon was what made me buy the bar in the first place... Even without knowing what the NR ribbon was. Makes a nice WW2 naval bar from the EAME theater.