Hollywood ribbon racks, ribbon bars and medals

[JohnK83882]

Yeah. Movies typically have some inaccuracies in uniform. The whole of the tv show mash was done with 60s fatigues.

[Marshallj]

6 hours ago, JohnK83882 said:

Yeah. Movies typically have some inaccuracies in uniform. The whole of the tv show mash was done with 60s fatigues.

Ha ha I remember a Hogan’s Heroes episode where one of the POWs was wearing fatigues with the shadow of a USAF staff sergeants stripes on his sleeves. 

[JohnK83882]

5 minutes ago, Marshallj said:

Ha ha I remember a Hogan’s Heroes episode where one of the POWs was wearing fatigues with the shadow of a USAF staff sergeants stripes on his sleeves. 

Easier to pick out the TV shows and movies with accurate uniforms.

[Bluehawk]

> Neville Brand in "Twilight Zone" 

[patches]

A good close up of Fredrick March's character's Pacific War Ribbons  in the Best Years Of Our Lives.

[patches]

On 5/6/2025 at 12:56 PM, Bluehawk said:

> Neville Brand in "Twilight Zone" 

Ex Marine and his Haunted Samurai Sword Bring Back  

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Encounter_(The_Twilight_Zone)

[Marshallj]

On 6/28/2023 at 3:29 PM, CinamonToastCrunch said:

Love to see those early AF transitional uniforms surprisingly accurate for a period film.

Many folks in Hollywood were veterans and the DOD worked closely with Hollywood for accuracy. 

[easterneagle87]

Here's a real beaut I saw on FB. Hilarious!

 

[Bluehawk]

5 minutes ago, easterneagle87 said:

Here's a real beaut I saw on FB. Hilarious!

 

 

😆

[63 RECON]

Keanu Reeves in "A walk in the clouds"

[APS221]

Here's Harrison Ford in "Force 10 from Navarone." It's pretty clear that his ribbons are upside down. Plus, he has an anachronistic Army Commendation Ribbon. If the ribbons were right-side up, they would be:

Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal (anachronistic), Purple Heart (mostly covered by lapel and should be before ACM),

American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (probably covered by lapel).

 

He doesn't have a Combat Infantryman Badge, but the film takes place around the same time the award was created. His shoulder patch appears to be 4th Infantry Division.

[Bluehawk]

Rin Tin Tin, 1954

[Marshallj]

Donald O’Connor from “Francis Joins the Navy”

[Marshallj]

Telly Savalas in “Inside Out” a 1975 movie. 

[APS221]

John Slattery as Col. Burton C. Andrus in "Nuremberg" (2025). Here he is wearing the 6850th Internal Security Detachment patch along with an matching enamel pin on his epaulet. The cavalry branch insignia on his lapel. Above his ribbons is his aviator badge/pilot wings. His top row of ribbons is: Army of Occupation Medal, Air Medal, and WWI Victory Medal (with star). His bottom row is: American Defense Service Medal (with star), American Campaign Medal, and European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.

 

Next is Michael Ironside as Andrus in "Nuremberg" (2000). Here he is wearing a 1st Infantry Division patch. Here he is wearing eight ribbons in two rows of four. The top row is: Army of Occupation Medal (upside down), WWII Victory Medal, European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and American Campaign Medal. The bottom row is: American Defense Service Medal (with star), WWI Victory Medal, Unknown dark blue ribbon, and Army Commendation Medal.

 

Here are images of the real Andrus.

 

In the bottom photo it looks like Andrus (center) is wearing an observer badge/wings rather than pilot wings. In the first photo, he clearly has his Army of Occupation Medal at the end of his bottom row. I read at least one website which states that he was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross during the war. In all three photos, he appears to have multiple stars on his European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. I think he should have at least one for Air Combat/Offensive.

 

Does anyone know more about what Andrus actually wore?

[Bluehawk]

> Remembering Woody Strode (1914-1994)

[decwriter]

On 11/6/2025 at 5:18 AM, APS221 said:

John Slattery as Col. Burton C. Andrus in "Nuremberg" (2025). Here he is wearing the 6850th Internal Security Detachment patch along with an matching enamel pin on his epaulet. The cavalry branch insignia on his lapel. Above his ribbons is his aviator badge/pilot wings. His top row of ribbons is: Army of Occupation Medal, Air Medal, and WWI Victory Medal (with star). His bottom row is: American Defense Service Medal (with star), American Campaign Medal, and European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.

 

Next is Michael Ironside as Andrus in "Nuremberg" (2000). Here he is wearing a 1st Infantry Division patch. Here he is wearing eight ribbons in two rows of four. The top row is: Army of Occupation Medal (upside down), WWII Victory Medal, European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and American Campaign Medal. The bottom row is: American Defense Service Medal (with star), WWI Victory Medal, Unknown dark blue ribbon, and Army Commendation Medal.

 

Here are images of the real Andrus.

 

In the bottom photo it looks like Andrus (center) is wearing an observer badge/wings rather than pilot wings. In the first photo, he clearly has his Army of Occupation Medal at the end of his bottom row. I read at least one website which states that he was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross during the war. In all three photos, he appears to have multiple stars on his European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. I think he should have at least one for Air Combat/Offensive.

 

Does anyone know more about what Andrus actually wore?

He’s wearing the Legion of Merit followed by the Bronze Star Medal on the top row.

[63 RECON]

Hart Bochner in War and Remembrance

[Bluehawk]

> From "Spies Like Us" 40 years or so ago, no idea who these actors are...

[Bluehawk]

> Capt. Bing, in "White Christmas" (1954) 

[Marshallj]

From “The Streets of San Francisco” TV series filmed at McClellan AFB CA in 1974 while I was stationed there. 

[Marshallj]

Here is an old one I accidentally came across - The Disappearance of Flight 412. Glenn Ford is the colonel. 

[63 RECON]

Jimmy Stewart as Lt. Col. Robert 'Dutch' Holland in Strategic Air Command 

[easterneagle87]

18 hours ago, 63 RECON said:

Jimmy Stewart as Lt. Col. Robert 'Dutch' Holland in Strategic Air Command 

He could’ve used his own w a little embellishment. 😁