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How to distinguish between a Navy and Army Medal


medalcollector
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medalcollector

Guys

 

I'm trying to find the difference between a wwii issued army contract medal and a navy contract medal for medals that are common to both services (PH, SS, BS, AM, DFC, etc..)

 

I already know that the navy medals, for the most part, come in short titled cases. I saw a very detailed discussion on the colored medal cases. (http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/206809-navy-wwii-colored-medal-cases/)

 

The medal could be for sea services only (navy cross, etc...). Also, if the medal is in a grouping, may be mounted, then just by the sea services medals you can identify.

 

Apart from the above two telltale signs, The navy medals, as far as I'm aware, are thicker than the army medals and have a dull, frosted finish.

 

But some times it's a little harder for me to tell which is which. For example, I have a bunch of wwii wrapped brooch air medals. Everyone of these came in a army coffin box. But they have different finishes. Could you please help me to tell which is which. This question is more "teach me how to fish" and less "give me a fish", so explanations would be much appreciated.

 

Here are the Air medals I have.

 

post-151439-0-25355900-1405781271.jpgpost-151439-0-82255000-1405781312.jpg

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medalcollector

These are the two that seems to have a frosted finish. This is the complete medal 3rd from the left and the planchet on the right in the pictures above.

post-151439-0-26030800-1405781547.jpg

post-151439-0-52945000-1405781561.jpg

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medalcollector

The complete medal on the left of the post above with its brooch.

 

post-151439-0-16426200-1405781659.jpg

 

The same medal brooch with a numbered medal brooch without a frosted finish.

 

post-151439-0-98103000-1405781750.jpg

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For an Air Medal, the key thing to look at is the flour de lis. On a USN AM, the flour de lis is a separate piece soldered to the top point of the AM. This can be difficult to tell if you don't know what you're looking for. The easiest way is take a definite WW2 USN Air Medal and compare it to a modern AM (or a WW2 AM you know to be AAF). You'll see the difference.

 

The wrap brooch for a USN AM must be a US Mint strike, which has a dull silver "ball" locking catch, which is quite different from the catch on an AAF AM. The catch on an AAF AM is flatter and the same copper color of the brooch.

 

Another hint may be that a USN AM shouldn't have an oak leaf cluster. Should be a gold star.

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medalcollector

I think I found the soldering on ebay.

 

post-151439-0-43223100-1405782478.jpgpost-151439-0-44805700-1405782469.jpg

 

Was this the case for all USN contract air medals? I've seen many, even in groups that didn't have the soldered fleur de lis.

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medalcollector

The DFC on the left had a soldered

 

post-151439-0-72333800-1405783303.jpg

 

But both are the same thickness.

 

post-151439-0-12118200-1405784317.jpg

 

Although this is the same thickness, Does the soldering mean that it's a USN contract DFC although it came in a army box?

 

Does all wwii USN contract DFCs have the soldering?

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Navy DFC's are much more difficult to determine, especially with the lack of a navy style wrap brooch. Although the Mint strike DFC's have the separately soldered wing and the top of the pendant, there were other contracts that went to the army air force. Companies like August Franck and Bailey, banks and Biddle both made DFC pendants with a separately applied suspension ring on the pendant. You can say with 100% certainty that if the ring at the top of the pendant is integral to the pendant, it is most definitely an AAF issued piece.

 

That being said, there were slot brooch mounted pendant DFC's that were issued to the navy. Most collectors look to the satin finish rather than strikes with burnished highlights, but these DFCs with "Navy" characteristics have been commonly found in AAF groupings.

 

Allan

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