US Navy Good Conduct Medals

[paul kennedy]

Forgive me if this is a silly question. My background is collecting British medals.

When did the US Navy Good Conduct Medal switch from the medal ribbon attaching to a bar to attaching through a ring?

I've seen WWII/Korea bars with both versions of the medal.

[Bluejacket]

Paul,

 

The change was made around 1960. It was primarily done as a money-saving decision, as almost every change in the USN GCM was, The old suspension bar was slightly more expensive and the medal assembly was a bit more labor intensive to produce, and the new style fell into place with the style of campaign medals. There was an overlap in the issue of the two styles, as most of the old ones were probably used up as the new ones came into the various supply channels.

 

The Marines, of course being the Marines, apparently wanted no part of it and did retain their rifle suspension, but did give up the top pin bar. I'm sorry the Navy didn't do that. It was a very distinctive style, attractive, and easily recognized form a distance.

 

Ah progress.

 

Bluejacket

[paul kennedy]

Thank you for your reply. It raises another question for me. What am I seeing when I find a medal bar with the later Good Conduct Medal, American Defense, American Campaign, Pacific Campaign, WWII Victory Medal? Is it kosher?

[Bruce Linz]

Hello,

 

Bluejacket has given you the straight scoop on the Navy Good Conduct medal. About that same time the Coast Guard changed their Good Conduct medal design by removing the bottom suspension bar and reducing the size of the medal's planchet. The Marine Corps must have considered removing the rifle suspension bar on their Good conduct medal because there are line drawings in older books showing how the medal would look. I for one am glad they left it alone. I wish they had left the Navy and Coast Guard medals alone as well.

 

Semper Fi,

Bruce Linz

[Bruce Linz]

Yes I would say those medal bars are good. All it means that those medal bars were put together or updated at some point after the change. Some sailors kept their old good conduct medals and other sailors got themselves a new style medal. The new style medals are rarely officially engraved or impressed.

 

Bruce Linz

[paul kennedy]

Thank you both!

[F-X]

A new pattern Navy good conduct medal in his box dated 1961.