"The George Medal"

[teufelhunde.ret]

I had originally posted this photo in the MCRD Parris Island Museum thread: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...c=24547&hl= This medal has as much controversy surrounding its existence as any other "unofficial" medal in Marine Corps lore. In the original thread I was asked about the "originality" of the one shown. I have spoken with the past President (whom has been involved directly with the museum for over thirty years) of the Museum Association today about the medal... here's the scoop, these are not first strike issue, but in fact, "second mold strikes" and they were donated to the museum by the recipient of the second mold strikings. Regretfully any further information regarding the existence of these second mold strikes is inconclusive and the donor has not granted permission of use of their name with the donation. So, with that said, everyone is left to draw their own conclusions. More about the "history" of this piece is below. s/f Darrell

 

 

Legendary among 1st Marine Division veterans of Guadalcanal, only about 50 were cast in Australia before the mold gave out. According to retired Marine Col. Brooke Nihart, a Navy Cross recipient and historian who recently passed away in August, 2006, the George medal commemorated the difficult situation of the division during the early days on Guadalcanal, when ammunition, food, and heavy equipment were short and the Japanese plentiful. The Marines faced increasing Japanese air attacks and surface action which left the division in a tight spot.

 

In the recollection of then-Captain Donald L. Dickson, adjutant of the 5th Marines, the Division G-3, then-Lieutenant Colonel Merrill B. Twining, resolved to commemorate the occasion. Twining told Captain Dickson, an aspiring artist, what he had in mind. Captain Dickson went to work designing an appropriate medal using a fifty-cent piece to draw a circle on a captured Japanese blank military postcard.

 

When the division departed Gudalcanal and finally reached Australia, a mold was made by a local metal craftsman and a small number were cast before the mold became unserviceable. Those wanting a medal paid one Australian pound for it and received a certificate as well. The medals are now an even greater rarity than at the time. In recent years, reproductions have been cast, and can be identified by the different metal and a poor definition of details.

 

The obverse design of the medal shows a hand and sleeve dropping a hot potato in the shape of Guadalcanal into the arms of a grateful Marine. In the original design, the sleeve bore the stripes of a vice admiral, intended to be either Vice Admiral Robert L. Ghormley, ComSoPac, or Vice Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher, Commander Joint Expeditionary Force, but the final medal diplomatically omitted this identification.

 

Also on the obverse is a saguaro cactus, indigenous to Arizona, not Guadalcanal, but representing the code name for the island, "Cactus." The obverse inscription if Facia Georgius, "Let George Do It." Thus it became known as the George Medal. The medal's reverse is inscribed: "In fond remembrance of the happy days spent from Aug. 7th 1942 to Jan. 5th 1943. U.S.M.C."

[USMCR79]

I think that there was a certificate also.

 

Bill

[Brig]

General Twining mentions this medal and it's creation, as well as first and second strikes, in his autobiographical account in 'No Bended Knee', a very interesting read. It's where I first heard of this medal, and it caught my attention

[Jim Baker]

A legendary medal......