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Silver Lifesaving Medal, (Unattributed)


Jack's Son
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Jack's Son

This is another item I picked up at the West Coast Show. This was a surprise to me, as I have not seen one before. I'm sure they are out there, but I just have not been around enough I guess. The presentation case is the finest I've seen for a US Medal, and adds to the overall impression that the Medal makes.

 

post-8213-1336887992.jpg post-8213-1336887999.jpg

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Jack's Son
Nice find JS.

Only one I have seen outside of the National Geograhics color plates issues.

RD,

That's reassuring, thank you. I wasn't sure if I had found something out of the ordinary, or not. :thumbsup:

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Jack's Son
A beautiful design... anyone know who the designer is for these?

D,

When I am on my computer this evening, I will post this information.

Thank you for asking

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DakotaDave

Beautiful medal, this is a Type V Silver Lifesaving Medal as distinguished by the new ribbon colors, approved on 04Aug 1949. Case original to medal (actually original even to earlier types, a real find there!! The case may be rarer than the medal in this situation). Reference "The Call of Duty" Strandberg and Bender 2nd ed.

Medal was designed by Anthony C. Paquet. Reference National Geographic Oct 1943.

 

 

 

DakotaDave

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The silver lifesaving medal is actually meant to be awarded primarily to civilians by the Coast Guard for heroic lifesaving acts. The Coast Guard has gone back and forth on awarding this medal to CG members or awarding the Coast Guard medal. The Lifesaving medal is awarded by the Commandant of the Coast Guard who sends out special investigators to obtain sworn affidavits from witnesses of the heroic action prior to this award being made. The process is quite rigorous and probably explains why so few medal have been awarded (less than 2000 since 1874). The back on this example was most likely never engraved. Since 1958, the Coast Guard has generally awarded this medal to CG members if they meet the criteria, but were not on duty at the time of the life saving action and awards the Coast Guard medal if the member was on-duty. This rule is not hard and fast though. The Silver Lifesaving medal was awarded last year to two CG members for instance. The Coast Guard medal comes with a lifetime stipend, while the Silver Lifesaving medal does not. The Lifesaving medals are sort of a relic of the legacy Lifesaving Service which was folded into the Coast Guard along with several other government agencies (Revenue Cutter Service, Steamship Inspection Service, Lighthouse Service, et. Al.)

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Just a little something to add to this thread. I'll probably never have the opportunity to own the medal, but within one of my groupings is the paperwork for recommendation and approval of the medal to a Marine.

 

OMorrowd.jpg

 

OMorrowf.jpg

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Jack's Son
Hello

Did they remove the engraving on the reverse?

Michael

I am going to take it to be photograhped under a highpower microscope. I don't expect to find anything.

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I am going to take it to be photograhped under a highpower microscope. I don't expect to find anything.

 

Look closely JS. You can clearly see the numeral "2" at the 3 O'Clock position within the laurel leaves on the reverse side of the medal. Could that be the last numeral in 1942?

 

The case and the documenattion make this piece. Nice find.

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Just a little something to add to this thread. I'll probably never have the opportunity to own the medal, but within one of my groupings is the paperwork for recommendation and approval of the medal to a Marine.

 

Great documentation! It is interesting how the award authority for this medal went all the way up to the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. This was probably because the Coast Guard had been transferred to the Navy during this time period. Admiral Waesche successfully returned control of the Coast Guard back to the Treasury Department after the war. It could be that the Coast Guard's awarding authority had not yet been delegated.

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I also wonder what the time frame was for changing the brooches on these? I have one from the period (May 11, 1947) that has a wrapped brooch.

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post-8847-1336999352.png

post-8847-1336999411.png

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Jack's Son

R,

Can you give us a close shot of the brooch? It looks a bit ornate for the small picture, or maybe my eyes.

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LuftStalg1
I also wonder what the time frame was for changing the brooches on these? I have one from the period (May 11, 1947) that has a wrapped brooch.

INow I am confused. :blink: You have a new 1949 style on a wrap broach issued in 1947? This must have been issues later for an act in 1947, correct? In any case great stuff by the way guys! :thumbsup:

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