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Allied Service Ribbon - is there actual award criteria?


Captainofthe7th
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Captainofthe7th

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Image courtesy LuftStalg1

 

In the past I have always written this ribbon off as the 'unofficial WWI victory' or 'unofficial inter-allied victory' medal. Mostly used after WWI, but also seen fairly often on WWII uniforms presumably before the official victory medal was approved.

 

- BUT -

 

In researching a certain officer, I have on his FOIA paperwork the "Allied Service Medal" listed under decorations and awards. I think this is unusual as the typed up responses are usually sparse, but include only official items. I mean, I have gotten some that are incorrect, but never unofficial. And I don't see the FOIA officer being so generous as to add the award for the heck of it. There has to be a reason. My next step is to ask a researcher to pull the records, but in the meantime, I was wondering.

 

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Why is the Allied Service Ribbon listed on there? What I know about this officer is he was involved in a special mission to Java in January and February 1942 to procure supplies and ships to the Philippines. With several other officers he worked with the locals, merchant ship captains, the Dutch, British, and Australians to try to organize this relief effort.

 

This got me thinking, is there actually some criteria for an Allied Service ribbon? I have found three consistent references to the ribbon:

 

1. Original articles from after WWI saying it's basically a fake ribbon, or unofficial, and that it shouldn't be worn.

 

2. Articles and obituaries from WWII veterans listing it in their awards, like this:

https://archive.org/stream/maryland22univ#page/40/mode/2up/search/%22allied+service+ribbon%22

And many of these have other foreign decorations or some unique indication that they worked in some capacity with other allied forces in a way that was more substantial than what might be a typical unit attached to another unit, etc.

 

3. It's totally random and worn because the vet thought that's what he was supposed to do.

 

So there are my thoughts. Can we get to the bottom of this?

 

Rob

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Captainofthe7th

Just trying to find other examples in context. I'm scrolling through the custom ribbon bar thread.

 

From Arclight - a great one to show mystery combination of British ribbons along with American...and there's the Allied Service Ribbon! Hmm..

 

 

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Here is one from Frank_Smith, exhibiting a combo with foreign decorations:

 

 

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From USMCRecon...a WWI set up, so not an example for my case, but an example of the ribbon nonetheless.

 

 

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Captainofthe7th

Last post for tonight, here's an image of Captain Robert E Jones in Japan, 1950. In WWII he served with the 502d PIR and at the time this photo was taken he is with the 32d Inf before going to Korea.

 

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Rob

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world war I nerd

Rob, I too have recently been trying to get to the bottom of what I have been referring to as the “Inter-Allied Victory Medal” ribbon, but not in its role as the “Allied Colors Ribbon” as used during WW II and later years. My interest lies in the genesis of this medal / ribbon, which I believe to have been sometime in 1919.

 

Here is my personal theory, which as of now remains pure speculation … I believe that the decoration was initially conceived with profit in mind. The intent was to sell as many of them as possible to the homeward bound Allied soldiers of all nations to commemorate their service and to provide an eye-catching splash of color to wear on their otherwise drab uniform.

 

Likely, because this ribbon was widely worn by the troops of all nations as they debarked in their home country ports, it probably didn’t take long for local manufacturers to commence making copies to appease the demands of their home town marketplace.

 

At some point, perhaps in the 1930s, the colors of this unofficial medal – ribbon had become so synonymous with the allied nations of the Great War that it was selected by the U.S. Army as the colors of the Allied Colors ribbon?

 

That’s what I think, but here’s what little I do know:

 

Photo No. 01: Here are two examples of what may or may not be the unofficial WW I era “Inter-Allied Victory Medal”. Although the obverse and reverse of both medals are identical they have two distinctly different “allied-colors” drapes, which to me, suggests two different manufacturers or possibly that they were even manufactured on two different continents.

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world war I nerd

Photo No. 02: This montage depicts five variations of the so called Inter-Allied Victory / Allied Colors ribbon. At top is the post WW I era “Allied-Colors” example mounted on a card which began this topic.

 

The left hand column shows two WW I era ribbons that are similar yet different, both of which were situated next to other WW I official and unofficial U.S. style ribbons.

 

The right hand column shows two ribbons, one made from conventional materials and the other enameled. Both ribbons feature more or less the same colors, but in a slightly wider width and in a different pattern than the ribbons to the left. Each ribbon was one half of a WW I British soldier’s ribbon bar. The other half of both ribbon bars was the British War Medal 1914 – 1918.

post-5143-0-42635100-1455697586.jpg

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world war I nerd

Photo No. 03: The combination VFW and unofficial Inter-Allied Victory Medal ribbons, which are shown here, are frequently seen in post-war studio portraits of American Doughboys. This studio portrait of a 3rd Division Doughboy is just one of many showing the VFW and Inter-Allied ribbons.

 

According to the Australian War Memorial website:

 

Before the official [Victory Medal] ribbon was approved a number of commercial companies created their own versions of what they thought the Victory Medal ribbon could look like. These unofficial ribbons often combined the flags, or colors from the flags of many of the victorious nations.

 

Small lengths of the unofficial ribbon were sold for mounting on medal ribbon bars so they could be worn while the men waited for their [official Victory] medals to be issued.

 

The inset is of a swatch of inter-allied ribbon cloth that was a brought back by an Australian soldier who served on the Western Front during the Great War.

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world war I nerd

Photo No. 04: These two ribbon bars, removed from Doughboy service coats, depict slightly different versions of the “Inter-Allied Victory Medal” ribbon.

 

The upper of the two ribbons is positioned next to an unofficial WW I era V.F.W. ribbon, while the lower ribbon has been partnered up with a WW I Victory Medal ribbon bearing one campaign star.

The upper combination of ribbons seems to have been one of the most common set ups of unofficial ribbons worn by Doughboys returning to the U.S.

post-5143-0-33228000-1455697724.jpg

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world war I nerd

Photo No. 05: This particular variation of the “Inter-Allied Victory Medal” was found on another thread here on the forum. It was apparently distributed in the United States by the American Fund for French Wounded … presumably in exchange for a cash donation.

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  • 4 months later...
Captainofthe7th

Okay, found some more on this ribbon today by chance. I am still finding that many of the combinations that involve this ribbon show service alongside another country or with, say, the RAF and then the USAAF - literally "Allied Service."

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/46078-leo-nomis-71-eagle-squadron-grouping/

 

This in particular is great because we see the ribbon in use for a WWII only vet - not the first instance of WWI wear - and it's documented as the "Allied Nations Ribbon" on what seems to be a fairly official document. I had my doubts about the first FOIA page I posted, but this leads me to think that there are really some grounds for this award, unofficial or not.

 

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Rob

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Captainofthe7th

World War I Nerd - I agree with your thoughts on the original creation with profit in mind. I just made another post the other day regarding a couple other unofficial ribbons, including the NATO ribbon during post-WWII occupation. In an Army pamphlet, it covered these unauthorized ribbons and badges as things that locals would use to swindle GIs, simply for money. But we know that so many bought them! Were they ever purchased through the PX? I don't know.

 

Here's another RCAF/RAF to USAAF example. A painting, but still another good example.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/205835-rafrcaf-american-volunteer-with-the-usaaf/

 

post-3190-0-61102700-1468596060.jpg

 

Rob

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The document in post 10 identifies a few awards that do not officially exist. There is no:

 

Battle of Egypt Ribbon

Eagle Squadron Medal

British General Service Ribbon (There is a General Service Medal but there is not one in the ribbon rack and it was not awarded for WWII service.)

 

The uniform displays a WWI British War Medal. So do two of the ribbon groups in post 2 and the painting in post 11. These are obviously WWII groups. They apparently substituted the WWI British War Medal where the WWII War Medal should be.

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Captainofthe7th

I think the 'Battle of Egypt' ribbon is probably the North Africa Star and the Eagle Squadron Medal is the badge on the left pocket. They all show up in some form on the uniform except for the 'Middle East Campaign ribbon' which seems redundant with the EAME ribbon. I like how he made the Malta George Cross ribbon out of multiple pieces.

 

I think you're correct about the use of the WWI British War Medal used for WWII British service.

 

Rob

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  • 2 months later...
Captainofthe7th

Here is one I just found on ebay to Robert H. Johnson. The auction won't last forever, but this photo will. The description is not very enlightening beyond what is shown. He flew missions with the RAF before the U.S. entered the war.

 

post-3190-0-48381000-1475941019_thumb.jpg

 

Rob

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Why does it appear all the medals are slot broach? Thought that process was gone by time the actual medals came out

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  • 1 year later...
everforward

I just added this summer-weight service coat to the collection, as-found.......this 29th Division soldier (116th) came home on the MATSONIA from France in late May 1919, and once in port everyone was issued a cotton khaki uniform for the Victory parade in Newport News and for mustering out of the Army and the trip home.

 

The only decoration on the uniform is a very worn example of an inter-allied service ribbon, pictured here. Most of the ribbon is gone but you can still make out enough of the pattern to know what it is.

 

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  • 2 years later...
Richard Coleman

I found this ribbon (photo left) among my wife's grandfather's artifacts at the War Museum of Virginia. I believe it to be a precursor to the WWI Victory Medal. The right is the VFW Medal.20201001_131807.jpg.0dee08b362d8a2f1d72daf45a0ebeddc.jpg

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  • 3 years later...
Collector5516

I know this post is several years old but can anyone ID the ribbon on the left in the above photo. I have the same ribbon and am having trouble identifying it. I assume it is VFW issued also? Thanks!

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4 hours ago, Collector5516 said:

I know this post is several years old but can anyone ID the ribbon on the left in the above photo. I have the same ribbon and am having trouble identifying it. I assume it is VFW issued also? Thanks!

This forum has answered your question several times. Search on unofficial inter allied ribbon or similar keywords.

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