Moral Dilema of buying service medals and awards

[Dave]

 

So the statement above that family could no longer "store the items" is true in many cases.

 

That brings up a good story. I once bought the uniforms of a famous admiral on ePay. I was very happy to receive them and put them on my website with the research I had done on him (not for sale, just for display). A year later, I got got an e-mail from his grandson, thanking me for the work I had done to research his grandfather. Long story short...come to find out, he was going to give the uniforms to the local theater group and his neighbor saw him getting into the car and suggested selling them on eBay. His neighbor was the guy I bought them from. I ended up visiting the grandson and he took me to his grandparent's basement (both were deceased). He had inherited the house and all it's contents. The basement was easily 2000 square feet and packed, floor to ceiling, with STUFF. They had never thrown anything away. So here's the grandson, a well known TV personality, saddled with literally TONS of his grandparent's stuff. He admired his grandfather and what he did in the Navy, but he couldn't handle owning a house full of STUFF and had to get rid of some of it. He eventually gave me a good amount of additional items from his grandfather, so I could keep the group together. He knows if he ever wants the stuff back, he can have it. However, until then, I'm the caretaker and he's very happy that it's in a good home.

 

Dave

[dhcoleterracina]

I have, nor see a moral issue by collecting named pieces except by NOT rescuing a piece or group. We are just the temporary custodians and generally we do a very good job. Although there may not be a relative now who is interested, one may appear later who recognizes the importance of a medal. I think that custody follows this line, the recipient...then family...then citizens of this great country. If the recipient is dead and the family isn't interested then I will happily stand next in line as caretaker. Really, it's a duty to remember, have reverence, and respect for their sacrifice.

 

Occasionally, one of us [ maybe me] will make a comment that seems disrespectful. Whether it's referring to a Purple Heart as a PH or saying the engraving is beautiful or the issuance of four Purple Heart Certificates as "cool". Remember, there is no one on this forum who believes that sacrifice is cool. These are numismatic type comments about engraving or other unusual aspects of collecting. If you have been on this forum for a while I think your heart is in the right place and your comments taken in context. .

[jmpmstr]

I would have a moral dilemma if I was part of the problem and not actively part of the solution.

 

I have returned named medals to a veteran after years of having them in my collection because I thought I would try to find him one day....he was thrilled....good feeling...he spent 50 years not knowing where his medals went....

 

I am the caretaker of a RAF observer uniform to a gentleman who ended the war as a pilot instructor at one of the RAF training schools....also contacted his family and they said no, we do not want it back, we are glad you have it and are the caretaker...I am still in contact and am friends with the great nephew....I do not have the type relationships with recipients many of you have, but, in small ways and large, are the keepers of the history of this nation that most people who live under her freedoms will never ever know....there can be no moral dilemma in that

[dskjl]

I should turn mine in....where do I do that?

I have just been put in charge of a newly formed named medal grouping collection task force. We will be over shortly to examine, catalog, and confiscate all of your named medal groups. By the way I take my coffee with cream to two sugars, and since I know your collection is extensive it may take some time to go through, so let it be known, I prefer a hot lunch.

[joeclown]

i recently bought some named and numberd groups from another collector. One of the groups is a named and numbered Silver Star along with a named purple heart to the same person a Vietnam KIA, the group also had his CIB and other issued medals. Another one of the groups is a named Purple Heart to a Korean war F86 pilot he turned up POW and then went MIA, inquiries years later have proven that he was one of the men taken back to Russia and never seen from again, it also contains his DSC unnamed and his other medals.

[joeclown]

_{Sorry but my previous post said DSC when actually its a DFC}

[Art]

My Mom's husband (no, not my Dad...her 2nd husband) sold his Grandfathers WWI medals etc & his Dad's WWII medals for next to nothing. They meant absolutely nothing to him & unfortunately there are many people like that.

I have a few named medals & groups and I have the utmost respect for these medals and the men that earned them.

What I started doing is frame the medals, add a biography & photos if possible to make a framed display. For a couple of them I have built a model airplane, ship or diorama to display next to their framed memorial. I have a wall in my den that I use to display militaria, so whenever the grandkids or anyone visits they see the displays, read about the veterns & he is not forgotten.

I change the displays every month or two, so next time they visit they can learn about someone else. I call it my museum wall and I am honored to be able to proudly display a tribute to veterns.

[ColdWarRules]

In Missouri military history and service is held in high regard. I remember talking to vets almost every time we covered a conflict, in fact I'm friends with a few. Every aspect good and bad is evaluated and we read memoirs and read diary entries from soldiers. Many of my friends and classmates always want to see what I got.

 

Plus history teachers hate me, I lecture more than them on conflicts

 

-Nick

[ajbUSWM]

One of the best programs I have seen is the one that video/audio tapes the veterans. I am not sure if this represents a few local programs around the country or if it I a national program, but this footage will be priceless to our country in future years.

 

Once again, if you want to see a movie that showcases the heroes among us, see "CHOSIN" by Brian Iglesias. If this movies doesn't bring out patriotism and love for country, nothing will.

 

If I were king for a day, I would require viewing of this movie as mandatory for becoming a U.S. Citizen and/or graduating High School. It is the antidote to those who find love for America vile.

[Dave]

I spent a couple hours with the daughter of a no-kidding famous naval aviator from WW2 on Friday. She was a wonderful person and appreciated what her dad did, but wasn't savvy on his "war stuff". Aside from the fact that his medals were held in the quasi-shadow-box by scotch tape across the ribbons (yes, really), when I was looking at the shelf of his "old books", I exclaimed: "And you have his log books too!" Right there on the shelf were his four log books from his entire career. She looked at me and said: "What are those?" I had to point them out on the shelf...she had no idea what they were other than "old books" that belonged to her dad at some point. I was shaking when I got to handle them...absolutely amazing. At the end of our meeting, I volunteered to buy her a nice frame like the ones I used for my collection and a replacement ribbon for his Navy Good Conduct Medal (he was a Naval Aviation Pilot before becoming an officer). I also conveyed to her the importance of caring for the medals so she can eventually turn them over to her kids and grandkids so they can honor the grandfather. I feel this is one of the duties as as collector/historian...we often know the importance of these awards more than the family and can convey their importance to them, as the veterans often declined to discuss the awards and the families just ended up with these "random trinkets" without the story behind them.

 

Dave

[Wharfmaster]

Sorry but medals without a name or story are just war surplus.

[LuftStalg1]

Sorry but medals without a name or story are just war surplus.

 

And by that thinking, graves without markers are just graves. They still deserve respect and to be remembered!

[cutiger83]

 

And by that thinking, graves without markers are just graves. They still deserve respect and to be remembered!

 

 

I am sorry but I have to agree with Wharfmaster. Your logic does not sound the same at all to me. A grave is a person where a medal is an object. The medal does not define the person but a grave IS the person. We should not respect an unnamed object but we should respect a person.

[BROBS]

well by most religious thinking a grave is an object and the "person" is long gone...

 

but I see your point.

[LuftStalg1]

Yes, I guess if you found an "Unmarked grave stone" you would not think twice about it. I wasn't looking at the medal as just an item but the memory of some person. But if you don't know what person I guess you don't need to show respect for it. Yes, I see what you mean thinking of things as just objects with no connection to anything or anyone.

 

I guess as an avid ancestral researcher in addition to being a collector of many things, I respect a persons grave just as much as an object representing an unknown person, though as you say the person is gone. Though if I find a grave stone marked "Unknown Soldier" would I still toss it in the trash? Boy, that is a tough one. I think my being brought up recycling everything (late '60's early 70's before it was the thing to do) has something to do with it as well. Like my "Rickenbacker" display. None of it is his, none of it is marked, some of it is even FAKE, but I respect the heck out of it every time I look at it. I find these things works of art and enjoy them. Other people pitch them in the trash, and some even with the name. So what is one mans trash? So by all means "Wharfmaster", "Cutiger83", "BROBS, and anyone else with that mind set, "I WILL GLADLY BE YOUR TRASHCAN" for unnamed medals. And thank you very much!

[Wharfmaster]

?

[BROBS]

I think he misunderstood?

 

I dont' know.