Help ID Foreign Ribbons

[uniformcollector]

I'm trying to identify all of the ribbons on my Maxwell Taylor uniform and feel pretty confident with this list I put together (with one missing), but was hoping some of the knowledgeable members of this forum could confirm/deny/add to what I have:

 

Row 1: Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal

Row 2: Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star

Row 3: Purple Heart, WWI Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal

Row 4: American Campaign Service Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal, WWII Victory Medal

Row 5: Army of Occupation Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean War Service Medal

Row 6: Legion of Honor (France), Croix de Guerre (France), Order of the Bath (Companion, United Kingdom)

Row 7: Order of the British Empire (Knight Commander, United Kingdom), Distinguished Service Order (Companion, United Kingdom), Order of Leopold (Grand Officer, Belgium), Order of the Crown (Grand Officer, Belgium)

Row 8: Croix de Guerre (Belgium), Military Order of William (Fourth Class, Netherlands), Order of Military Merit (First Class, Mexico), Military Order of Italy (Commander, Italy)

Row 9: Order of George I (Commander, Greece), Order of Boyaca (Grand Officer, Colombia), Philippine Legion of Honor (Chief Commander, Philippines), UNKNOWN

Row 10: Order of the Crown of Thailand (First Class), Order of the Holy Trinity (Grand Cordon, Ethiopia), Order of National Security Merit (Second Class, South Korea), United Nations Korean Service Medal

 

 

[Hermanus]

Hi, I agree with your list. Unfortunately I do not recognize the unknown ribbon.

 

Regarding the grades you mention in the orders I disagree. In most countries the grades are:

 

- plain ribbon: Knight grade in the order

- ribbon with rosette: Officer grade in the order

- ribbon with rosette on a plain silver stripe: Commander grade

- ribbon with rosette on a silver-gold stripe: Grand Officer grade

- ribbon with rosette on a gold stripe: Grand Cross grade in the order.

 

If your investigation confirmed that Taylor received the grade mentioned by you in your post, at least in some cases in the picture he was wearing a different grade.

 

Please be advised that the UK and Italy use a different clasp/cluster system on their ribbons. No rosettes on their ribbons.

 

Best regards

Herman

[Hermanus]

The unidentified ribbon could be an knight grade in the Iranian Homayoun order.

 

If the center colour is more blueish than greenish the Iranian one is incorrect.

 

Regards

Herman

[Hermanus]

An example of the Grand Cross in the Iranian Homayoun order.

[uniformcollector]

The unidentified ribbon could be an knight grade in the Iranian Homayoun order.

 

If the center colour is more blueish than greenish the Iranian one is incorrect.

 

Regards

Herman

 

Thank you very much for the help! I based the orders off of what numerous websites had him listed for, but those could easily be incorrect. I agree that the ribbon looks like the Iranian Homayoun order. Some of the ribbons are faded and it is possible that it could have originally have been a green.

[CNY Militaria]

Here is an example of what the Iranian ribbon looks like.

[uniformcollector]

Thank you for the photo Justin. I'm guessing that the ribbon on the Taylor uniform may be for another medal. Any ideas?

[Hermanus]

Hello,

 

I enclose a picture of another ribbonbar of Maxwell Taylor. It seems that the unidentified ribbon is in fact is a Grand Officer in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

 

A different ribbon with a close match was used.

 

Regards

Herman

[uniformcollector]

Thank you Herman, that completes the list!

[EGA-DOG]

Could the original posted ribbon be the Philippine Mindanao-Sulu Campaign Medal? I've seen it as a ribbon in these same colors. Also, it it is behind other Philippine ribbons.

 

Brian

[PaulR]

Sidebar question- I wonder how many times he actually wore all of these full sized medals?

[uniformcollector]

I haven't seen any photos of the General wearing full-size awards. I would assume that in the Army, these were only worn on the dress blues. I have seen Taylor's dress blues in person and he had a similar ribbon bar rather than full size.

[4STARCHRIS]

The ribbon bar in question is correc tly identified as the Italy medal of merit. The one withe the tiny crowns is the correct ribbon bar representation of the medal. These little crowns are hard to find. All of the generals medal awards and decorations reside at the NDU and I was honored to have the oppurtunity ti ID all of them as they were on displayed with most mis ID. If you would like to see all of them let me know it is quite impressive. I agree there is no way he could have worn all of the full size at one time.