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CMTC and General John J. Pershing Award


Ryne
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Hello. My paternal grandfather attended a CMTC (Citizens' Military Training Camp) in the early 1930's, meant to provide military training to civilians without obligation as well as a program to commission officers into the reserves. Information on the CMTC program is hard to come by; the wiki article claims no records of participation were kept and the camps were around for less than two decades. His discharge from the Reserve Corps in 1937 is the only paperwork I have.

 

Information on the John J. Pershing Award is just as difficult to find. The medal isn't shown but the caption of a Library of Congress photo states;

 


"The CMTC always operated in best tradition of the citizen soldier with the heavy emphasis on “citizen” as seen here when General Pershing presented medals to outstanding CMTC trainees. The John J. Pershing Medal for distinguished attainment in military education was presented to the outstanding trainees of the Citizens’ Military Training Camps by General Pershing at the War Department."

 

I'm curious if any of you are familiar with the camps or the award. The bar also pictured says "Sharpshooter CMTC", is this for uniform wear? I'd also like to know about the rarity and value of these or CMTC items in general.

 

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post-163194-0-83626500-1469598052.jpg

 

post-163194-0-96387400-1469598053.jpg

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Cobra 6 Actual

Hello! I read this book several years ago: "Forgotten Summers: The Story of the Citizens' Military Training Camps, 1921-1940". Lots of good information and still available from Amazon and other booksellers. Also, Col. Emerson's website has some photos and brief text on CMTC medals, although not yours:

 

http://www.emersoninsignia.net/files/Download/9CMTCMedals.pdf

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Hello! I read this book several years ago: "Forgotten Summers: The Story of the Citizens' Military Training Camps, 1921-1940". Lots of good information and still available from Amazon and other booksellers. Also, Col. Emerson's website has some photos and brief text on CMTC medals, although not yours:

 

http://www.emersoninsignia.net/files/Download/9CMTCMedals.pdf

 

Thank you very much for the link. Emerson's site was a big help and he was kind enough to reply to my email, though he had had not seen the Pershing award before.

 

I was also able to find another Library of Congress photo with the 1938 recipients in Washington and the medals visible. This is the only photo I've found with the awards themselves.

 

post-163194-0-73603900-1469661890.jpg

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