world war I nerd Posted February 19, 2016 Share #1 Posted February 19, 2016 Not being much of a medal guy, I can't work out work out if the medal worn by this African American Doughboy is a state or city victory/service medal or a foreign decoration. Can anybody ID this medal? Thanks for looking ... World War I Nerd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettow Posted February 19, 2016 Share #2 Posted February 19, 2016 It appears to be the Washington DC WWI medal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
world war I nerd Posted February 19, 2016 Author Share #3 Posted February 19, 2016 Thanks lettow ... that was quick, and much appreciated! I had a feeling it was going to be a state or city medal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertmedals Posted February 19, 2016 Share #4 Posted February 19, 2016 I agree. While a couple of other towns/counties used the same form of medal, the ribbon gives it away as the DC version. The ribbon is half green/half white -- unique among the local medals. Fantastic picture, BTW. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagjetta Posted February 19, 2016 Share #5 Posted February 19, 2016 Two really good references on state and local medals are:State Medals for War Service, revised Edition by Douglas W. Boyce (2006: Hollister, CA) published by DB Enterprises, Medals for Service in Mexico and on the Mexican Border, 1911-1917, 2nd Ed. by Anthony Margrave and edited by William K. Emerson (no date: Warren, OH). Pulblished by OMSA as Monograph No. 27 John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagjetta Posted February 19, 2016 Share #6 Posted February 19, 2016 Another good one, just on Wisconsin medals: Wisconsin Military and Civil Medals by Fred J. Borgmann, (2013: Iola, WI). Fred's a participant on the forum and can ship direct to customers. There are probably many other state-specific sources of which I am unaware. State and local medals is a field all of its own. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too Much WW1 Militaria Posted February 20, 2016 Share #7 Posted February 20, 2016 Yep, DC WW1 local Victory medal. The white/green ribbon is a dead giveaway. I have a named one here to Robert S. Cohen 77th Division that I'll dig out and scan in. I've, seen this pic before, think it was in Scott's "The American Negro in the World War". I'll look and see if I can find him, and see if we can put a name with the photo. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too Much WW1 Militaria Posted February 20, 2016 Share #8 Posted February 20, 2016 Well, I walked right to the case this was in. Alzheimers isn't THAT bad! LOL John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too Much WW1 Militaria Posted February 20, 2016 Share #9 Posted February 20, 2016 back... This came out of the Courthouse Flea market in DC years ago. Think I paid 5 bucks for it, and no, I don't want to double my money! lol He's buried in Arlington, died in 1939. The engraving says Robert S Cohen SGT . MD 77th DIV A.E.F. Apparently, someone before me just bought the VM and left the rest! No rhyme or reason! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too Much WW1 Militaria Posted February 20, 2016 Share #10 Posted February 20, 2016 Think this is the same guy? Sure looks like him! If so, he is listed in Scott's book as 1st LT J. W. Clifford 367th INF It'shard to tell if those are post WW1 gold buttons on the tunic in the first picture, but that picture was post war. The DC local VM wasn't awarded until 1919-1920. Think we have a match? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
world war I nerd Posted February 20, 2016 Author Share #11 Posted February 20, 2016 Thanks John, for the color image of the DC medal and a possible ID on its owner. I have to admit that the DC medal is one of the nicer looking WW I state/city medals that I've seen. It does look as if it could be Lt. Clifford ... Also, in the original photo, the service coat buttons are dull bronze buttons, whose finish has worn off of the raised areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too Much WW1 Militaria Posted February 20, 2016 Share #12 Posted February 20, 2016 I honestly couldn't tell if it was light reflecting, wear, or the later gold buttons that they switched to. I think the photo in Scotts book might be one taken before he went overseas. If it isn't him, it's a relative! At least to my almost 70 year old eyes. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Magut Posted February 20, 2016 Share #13 Posted February 20, 2016 Lt Joshua W Clifford of the 367th Inf appears in the Ohio WWI Roster. His residence in 1919 was listed as 1944 9th St. WASHINGTON DC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too Much WW1 Militaria Posted February 20, 2016 Share #14 Posted February 20, 2016 Jeff, Thought it was him! I don't trust my eyes anymore! lol Still, don't need reading glasses, but now when I go to the range it's either flip the glasses up and get a sight picture and no target, or put them down, and get a target but a lousy sight picture! lol John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan H. Posted February 21, 2016 Share #15 Posted February 21, 2016 It's funny, but when I looked at the photo, I thought that it looked like Charles Hamilton Houston. I don't think the photo is of Joshua Clifford as the ears don't look the same. Also, I don't believe that Clifford made Captain in WWI. I'll keep looking. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan H. Posted February 21, 2016 Share #16 Posted February 21, 2016 Here is a photo from the Charles Hamilton Houston website- http://www.charleshamiltonhouston.org/charles-hamilton-houston/ Look at the nose and the ear. I think the photo of the captain is more similar to Houston than to Clifford. Both lived in Washington, DC after the war and both were African-American officers in WWI. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too Much WW1 Militaria Posted February 21, 2016 Share #17 Posted February 21, 2016 It's funny, but when I looked at the photo, I thought that it looked like Charles Hamilton Houston. I don't think the photo is of Joshua Clifford as the ears don't look the same. Also, I don't believe that Clifford made Captain in WWI. I'll keep looking. Allan Allan, It may or may not be, now that you mention it. I have Houston's tunic and medals, plus a couple of period photos of him. I'll dig it all out, photo/scan it, and put it up for comparison. Huston got out as a first LT. I know the photo I scanned in from Scott's book is listed as Clifford. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too Much WW1 Militaria Posted February 22, 2016 Share #18 Posted February 22, 2016 Here is the Huston Group. Looking at this picture, now I have a tendency to agree with Alan, I think it is Huston. Thing is, Huston was never a CPT, at least none of my research indicates he ever was. Also have one of his dog tags, I have 3 maxwell house cans of tags, and one of his was in there! Acquired this group (uniform, engraved VM) about 35 years after I bought the tag. Amazing to think that the tags used to go for a buck or two. Will have to dig the tag out and scan it in. Houston died fairly young, he had a bad heart. Gotta give Dave S. credit for the photos! I acquired this in a trade, shipped about 35lbs of WW1 Navy uniforms to him, including Edwin Parsons WW2 Navy overcoat. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
world war I nerd Posted February 22, 2016 Author Share #19 Posted February 22, 2016 After seeing the WW I image of Huston, I too agree that the first photo of this thread is more than likely that of Huston not Clifford. Cheers, Allan H. you seem to have some pretty good facial recognition software onboard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too Much WW1 Militaria Posted February 22, 2016 Share #20 Posted February 22, 2016 And.......... I'm just old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol As soon as I looked at the photo I had of Huston, I said "Well, duh, that's Huston!" lol Will scan the tag in a bit to add to this. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1SG_1st_Cav Posted February 22, 2016 Share #21 Posted February 22, 2016 Super uniform and patch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tennessee Posted February 24, 2016 Share #22 Posted February 24, 2016 Hello to all, I just love to see these threads develop- still more stuff and stories, and the history revealed by the researchers just makes the actual artifacts the more fascinating!!! Thanks to all who are contributing, and I sure look forward to my retirement to take a part myself! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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