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How Many Battle Stars?


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My Father served in the 332nd Field Artillery Battalion, 86th Division in WW2. The ETO ribbons he brought home from service were mounted with one bronze battle star, listed on his discharge papers for the Central Europe Campaign.

 

In the early 1970's we requested the Army furnish his medals. When the medals arrived, his ETO had two battle stars attached. I don't recall any paperwork was furnished by the Army, and never thought much of it. Recently while researching his Division, I noted that most sources credit the 86th with one battle star. I did find a post by a member here from several years ago whose Dad also served in the 86th and among his bring backs was an ETO ribbon with two stars ... nothing much came from that post.

 

I am hoping someone on this site can point me in the right direction so I can find out if my Dad's medal is correct with two stars...

 

One site lists the 86th as participating in three campaigns

 

Campaigns

Rhineland (15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45)
Ardennes-Alsace (16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45)
Central Europe (22 Mar 45 - 11 May 45)

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

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You may likely need his records. Another way is to know when he joined that unit and for how long he was with them (or if served in another unit as well) .... you can compare the dates with the unit's campaigns and figure out how many stars are correct.

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dan_the_hun84

sometimes the DoD will decide years later that some units did/didn't participate in etc-

 

The 86th was one of the last Divisions to enter combat in the ETO they weren't even in Europe yet when the the Ardennes-Alsace was happening- I believe they entered combat at the end of March, Right after the Rhineland campaign ended- so Central Europe for sure. They then were sent to the Pacific for the invasion of Japan and were in Manilia Harbor when the bomb was dropped- they then processed Japanese POWs and were and occupation force before VJ day- so mist guys technically earned the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign medal was well- but with no stars

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Sadly, if the Army provided paperwork with the medals, it is lost - after all they were sent almost 50 years ago.

 

It could be that since the early 70's the Army changed the official list of campaigns the 86th participated in. I'm just stuck on a source for the correct information. If my Dad was sent two stars instead of one, then someone made a mistake! What are the chances of that happening? :rolleyes:

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Government Issue

If you've got his info then you might contact Golden Arrow Research. They may be able to pull some records for you.

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According to the US Army Pamphlet 672-1, Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit register, 1961, the 332nd FA Batt is credited with Central Europe and Rhineland Campaign.

 

While the 86th ID is only credited with Central Europe

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29navy,

 

Thank You very much for this information!!!! It never would have occurred to me that the battalion would have different awards than the division as a whole.

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