Ref Thread: American Defense Medal

[Captainofthe7th]

The type with the ring suspension is much harder to find and that said, more desirable. The other type, if it has the slot brooch, is of course WWII issue.

 

Rob

[vzemke]

As has been said earlier, the ring type suspension is the earlier type and more desirable, but it was not made until 1942 at the earliest. There is simply no such thing as pre-WWII American Defense Medal. The American Defesnse Medal was not approved until 5 May 1942, and went into production after that. The American Defense ribbon was approved only one month after Pearl Harbor, on 7 January 1942.

I hope this helps,

Vance

[KASTAUFFER]

This belonged to a Msgt who enlisted in 1939 and retired in 1959. On December 7, 1941 we was stationed at Ewa Air Station with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Group.

 

[Jack's Son]

The fleet bar was for Navy personel assigned to ships.

Foreign Service to Army assigned to duty stations outside of the US.

 

[atb]

For the Army, the only clasp for the American Defense Service Medal is the "FOREIGN SERVICE" clasp for duty outside the Continental US (Hawaii, the Philippines, etc.). A bronze service star is worn on the ribbon bar of the ADSM to represent the clasp. The bronze service star is not a replacement to be worn on the medal drape instead of the clasp. From the Army Institute of Heraldry website (a site you should look at judging from your questions)-

 

The American Defense Service Medal was awarded to personnel for active duty service from 8 September 1939 to 7 December 1941 for a period of twelve months or longer.

 

On the reverse is the wording "FOR SERVICE DURING THE LIMITED EMERGENCY PROCLAIMED BY THE PRESIDENT ON SEPTEMBER 8,1939 OR DURING THE UNLIMITED EMERGENCY PROCLAIMED BY THE PRESIDENT ON MAY 27,1941"

[Tim B]

These are always nice and somewhat overlooked medals.

 

Here's mine, no box with this specific one but, it has the service ribbon with star.

 

Tim

[Tim B]

I think I have about a half a dozen of these, some with blue box of issue. Here's a quick comparison of some you'll see.

 

Tim

[jmpmstr]

You'll also see the more scarce ring suspension vice the knob suspension. Scarce is a relative term as it is more scarce in the ADSM varieties but not relative to many other US medals....

[Tim B]

One thing I've seen recently, is an eBay seller with this listing. So, the shelf stock clasps are now hitting the market. Wonder what base closed where all these were found?

 

Tim

[Jay V]

Hi Guys

Just got this common medal today in a trade and was hoping someone can let me know what the clasp was for (other than the obvious) and if it is common or semi scarce.Also without any makings is there any way to determine the maker? Thanks for the help in advance,Jay

 

 

[Tim B]

There are several varieties with the American Defense Service Medal and as Austin previously stated, the early versions had a ring suspension. The variations are manufacturer-related.

 

Here's a rough comparison showing several knob-type suspensions.

[Tim B]

As far as an identified maker of your medal there, I believe it's probably attributed to Rex Products Company. Rex Products produced several medals/decorations during WWII however, I have never seen a maker-marked ADSM box with their company logo on it.

 

Reading one of the JOMSA articles, I see some feel that these generic "decoration..." type labeled medals are probably Rex Products and the company did produce this medal in large quantities, so I also think this Rex Products Co. claim to be accurate.

 

Here's a comparison between a similarly marked ADSM and Army Good Conduct Medal. Note the suspension hub.

[Tim B]

And here's comparison showing a numbered Rex Products Purple Heart compared against the above two medals. Again, note how the suspension hub favorably compares to all three.

 

If you look back at the first comparison showing several ADSM's, you'll see this style hub is strikingly different from the other manufacturers.

 

I hope this information might be of help to you.

 

Tim

[Tim B]

Jay,

 

The ring type suspension was the common method used for earlier campaign medals and this switched over at the end of WWII.

 

As the American Defense Service Medal was in production when the war was ending, manufacturers like the Philadelphia Mint, American Emblem Company, and Medallic Art Company started the initial production utilizing the ring, but numbers wise, not many were produced. The vast majority of the medals seen today are with the various knob-type suspensions.

 

Here's a comparison shot showing the two versions.

 

Tim

[Tim B]

Keep in mind the "Foreign Service" clasp was only for Army personnel or units assigned under the Army. The other branches (Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, etc.) had the BASE clasp.

 

Basically, service outside CONUS, including service in Alaska, those sailing in vessels, or air crew that made frequent flights over water qualified for the clasp.

 

Tim

[Tim B]

The medals and clasps were not actually issued until mid-1946.

 

The box photo above is indicative of the approximate time frame that the Smilo & Sons contract produced the Foreign Service clasp. The U.S. Mint had previously produced samples and I believe the American Emblem Company was the first to produce the clasp in quantity.

 

The service ribbons, stars, and the Navy Atlantic "A" device were produced and sold prior to the war ending and some photos show these being worn as early as 1943. This is also true of the area campaign ribbons but, again the actual medals did not get produced and issued until later.

 

In answer to your second question, yes, the stars on the ADSM "service ribbon" indicate a clasp was authorized. Clasps were only worn on the suspension ribbon of the medal and not the service ribbon.

 

Tim

[Tim B]

And, yet another example where the regulations were not always followed:

[Tim B]

Not per regulations of course but shows oddities did exist.

[Wharfmaster]

This is a Coast Guard "SEA" bar for the Am. Def. Service Medal, found new (old stock) in the packet.

 

Does anyone have a named/identified Coast Guard group with this bar?

 

Thanks and best regards,

 

 

The Wharfmaster

[SEABEEBRIAN]

Very nice piece. I have had a couple over the years and try to get it every time I find one. I am extremely interested in the criteria and the people that it went to but the Coast Guard has no information on it and there is virtually no documentation out there.

[Adam R]

There are a lot of copies (fakes) of this bar in circulation. Here's a comparison of a real bar with two reproductions. Noticed the difference in the shape and spacing of the letters.

[jmar]

Hello WM and everyone,

 

Great example, I really like the cello packet! You had asked about an attributed award with a SEA bar. I have this mounted group which I had posted a while back, but thought I'd add it here since it directly applies to your question.

 

Robert J Carmichael - USCG - 26 September 1942 - Yard

 

Thank you for posting, and to all the others who have added great info.

 

Best wishes to all,

 

Joe

 

[USMCR79]

I have a group to CGM John Beraqua who had the "Sea" Bar - He was serving on the USCG Modoc from June 1940 to January 1942 - here is information on the Modoc during that period.

 

Transferred to the United States Navy by Executive Order No. 8029 of 1 November 1941, Modocjoined the Greenland Patrol, whose orders were to do "a little of everything." This duty involved keeping convoy routes open, breaking and finding leads in ice for the Greenland convoys, escorting the convoys and rescuing survivors from torpedoed ships, constructing and maintaining aids to navigation, and reporting weather conditions. Ships of the patrol were also expected to discover and destroy enemy weather and radio stations in Greenland, continue hydrographic surveys, maintain communications, deliver supplies, and conduct search and rescue operations. All of these duties, the Coast Guard performed with exemplary fortitude and faithfulness throughout the war. It was during this time that she was designated as WPG-46.^[1]

In both World Wars, when submarines were more of a menace than icebergs, the International Ice Patrol was suspended so that the cutters could perform more important escort duty. During these years there was but one major collision; British ship Svend Foyne struck a berg 21 January 1943. Before she sank Modoc rescued 128 survivors.^[1]

Modoc, in company with cutters Northland and General Greene rescuing survivors from torpedoed convoy ships, has also witnessed a large part of German ship Bismarck's death battle 23 to 27 May 1941. Close to midnight 24 May Modoc found herself in the midst of an attack in which eight planes and three warships were involved. Antiaircraft fire from Bismarck whizzed dangerously close to the cutter's port bow. HMS Norfolk was about to take the cutter under fire until HMS Prince of Wales identified her as U.S. Coast Guard. The cutter was undamaged, although they were near the fighting and at times only six miles from Bismarck. The widespread movements of the combatants, 19 plus destroyers and smaller ships, had distributed danger over a wide area. Aircraft had played a continuous part in coordinating activities, thus adding to the danger of accidents to innocent bystanders, a role the cutters had to play prior to Pearl Harbor.^[1]

From Wikipedia

I wil post a photo when my camera battery recharges

Bill

[USMCR79]

Photo

[Rakkasan187]

One of the great things about having WW2 era newspapers from various theaters is the validation of many questions that we as collectors have about certain awards and decorations. This information comes straight from the period, December 1942 to be exact.

 

In a group of papers that I have belonging to a Soldier who was stationed in Puerto Rico during World War Two there were several Newspapers. On the front page of one of those papers was information about the American Defense Ribbon.

 

I would like to see other's post information that thy have found in newspapers such as Stars and Stripes and other papers that discuss awards and decorations. These are very interesting and again hold a lot of information..

 

Leigh