Vietnam ribbons identification Dust Off

[nguoi tien su]

Good evening,

 

I purchased this as part of an ex-498th Medical Company (Air Ambulance - Dust Off) pilot grouping a year ago. I bought his nomex shirt, his cap, glasses, and a shadow box with name tapes, wings, patches... and also those ribbons.

 

 

I can identify most of it, but not all.

 

1. Air Medal

2. Army Commandation Medal

3. Good conduct Medal

4. UNK

5. National Defense Service Medal

6. Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

7. UNK

8. UNK

9. Vietnam Service Medal

10. Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

 

For me, 7 & 8 looks of a cheaper material.

 

Please help me in my researches and also tell me if you think it looks legit...

 

Thanks.

 

NTS

[atb]

Good evening,

 

I purchased this as part of an ex-498th Medical Company (Air Ambulance - Dust Off) pilot grouping a year ago. I bought his nomex shirt, his cap, glasses, and a shadow box with name tapes, wings, patches... and also those ribbons.

 

 

I can identify most of it, but not all.

 

1. Air Medal

2. Army Commandation Medal

3. Good conduct Medal

4. UNK

5. National Defense Service Medal

6. Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

7. UNK

8. UNK

9. Vietnam Service Medal

10. Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

 

For me, 7 & 8 looks of a cheaper material.

 

Please help me in my researches and also tell me if you think it looks legit...

 

Thanks.

 

NTS

#4 is the US Navy Good Conduct Medal; #7 is the US Navy Expeditionary Medal; #8 is the US Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal. He must have been ex-Navy.

[collectsmedals]

He would have had to be in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps to get that rack.

 

Possible I guess but unlikely.

[36-tex]

That does not look right!

[teufelhunde.ret]

its a put-together bar

[Brig]

well, I'd argue not necessarily, since I know a man who did 4 years in the Army, 4 in the Navy, 4 in the Air Force, and 4 in the Marines...

 

however, as far as the Good Conducts go, I believe when you change service you just put on their version of the ribbon in place of the one from your previous service. I know a couple of guys who did 4 in the Army and went Marine, and they do not wear Army GC's.

 

I must agree...put together

[nguoi tien su]

As you say, it looks weird...

 

Thanks for your replies !

 

NTS

[Dave]

Guys-

 

He could have been a Corpsman in the Navy, attached to the Marines.

 

Absolutely possible rack.

 

Should be good for research!

 

Dave

[Allan H.]

Guys-

 

He could have been a Corpsman in the Navy, attached to the Marines.

 

Absolutely possible rack.

 

Should be good for research!

 

Dave

 

I agree with the squid. I would say that the rack belonged to a former pill roller who did time with the Marines.

As for wear of other service Good Conduct ribbons, I believe that those regulations are governed by each branch seperately. As many soldiers as I have know who had other branch GC's, I would say this one is legit.

Allan

[MPage]

I agree with the squid. I would say that the rack belonged to a former pill roller who did time with the Marines.

As for wear of other service Good Conduct ribbons, I believe that those regulations are governed by each branch seperately. As many soldiers as I have know who had other branch GC's, I would say this one is legit.

Allan

 

I'll add to the chorus of yea's. A friend did four years in the navy, a couple more in the naval reserve, then switched to the army reserve prior to September 11th, whereupon he was immediately sent to Iraq, early on. Needless to say his ribbons look a little different; ARCOM, Navy GCM, Navy "E" ribbon, Iraq with Arrowhead,, no Army GCM, etc.

[Laury Allison]

I'll throw my 2 cents worth in and agree that this ribbon bar could be possible. I had 10 1/2 years active duty Air Force, then 6 years in the Army NG, then another 6 1/2 years in the Air NG. My ribbon bar has a mix of Air Force and Army ribbons. As far as Good Conduct Medals go, I have 3 different versions....the Air Force GCM, the Air Reserve Forces MSM, and the Army NG Reserve Components Achievement Medal. I always got a lot of questions from folks whenever I wore my ribbons since I had some they weren't used to seeing...especially the active duty folks.

 

Kind of makes it a pain when you switch services, trying to figure out the right order of precedence for your ribbons from another branch and which ones you can and can't wear. Sometimes trying to find Army ribbons in an Air Force Clothing Sales Store and vice versa can be a challenge too. The last couple of years of my career I was on active duty and mostly wore a custom made ribbon bar from "Ready for Inspection". Since I was on active duty, I couldn't wear my state awards....which really can be a pain trying to find ribbons for sometimes. I don't think I ever did have a set of ribbons or mini medals made with those included on them. I've thought about having a final set of ribbons and medals made up with all of them on them, but a little voice in the back of my head keeps telling me that if I do, something else will be authorized about a week after I have them done!

 

Laury

[Dave]

My boss (a Navy LCDR) wears a BSM, ARCOM, an Army MUC and the Army Overseas Service ribbon on his rack - it definately gets some stares sometimes! He served with several Army units doing counter-IED work in Iraq as an Individual Augmentee (IA). As the GWOT continues, you'll see more and more awards from other services on soldiers and sailors chests.

 

Dave

[Brig]

I'll add to the chorus of yea's. A friend did four years in the navy, a couple more in the naval reserve, then switched to the army reserve prior to September 11th, whereupon he was immediately sent to Iraq, early on. Needless to say his ribbons look a little different; ARCOM, Navy GCM, Navy "E" ribbon, Iraq with Arrowhead,, no Army GCM, etc.

 

Iraq Campaign rates an arrowhead? When was that approved? According to the official regulation handbook printed in 2005 and sold at the uniform shop for all branches, it does not rate any devices yet whatsoever, though they're debating authorizing stars in the near future.

[Dave]

Iraq Campaign rates an arrowhead?

 

 

I'm curious too... It should rate an arrowhead, but at the same time, no one should be wearing ANY devices on it (or Afghanistan or GWOTEM/SM).

 

Dave

[MPage]

Iraq Campaign rates an arrowhead? When was that approved? According to the official regulation handbook printed in 2005 and sold at the uniform shop for all branches, it does not rate any devices yet whatsoever, though they're debating authorizing stars in the near future.

 

Actually, that's what I thought too, but I could have sworn that I recently read that the arrowhead was authorized.

[PATCHRAT]

here is a portion of the information post on the Institute of Heraldry web page regarding the ICM.

 

e. Service members qualified for the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (GWOTEM) by reasons of service between 19 March 2003 and 30 April 2005, in Iraq, shall remain qualified for the medal. Any such soldier may be awarded the ICM in lieu of the GWOTEM for such service. Additionally, any such soldier authorized the arrowhead device may be awarded the ICM with arrowhead device in lieu of the GWOTEM with arrowhead device. No soldier shall be entitled to both medals for the same act, achievement or period of service.

[Brig]

interesting

 

in the Corps, the cutoff date for the GWOTE is August 2005

[nguoi tien su]

Thanks for the updates ! It sounds much better to me !

[Jason G]

LOL...I agree, totally possible...I'm one of those oddballs...Active duty Marine, Army Reserve..and now Air National Guard...I have army, USMC, NATO, and Air Force ribbons on my rack!