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WW1 Victory medal NOK claims...?


Roystone
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Hi all,

 

Can someone tell me if NOK were able to claim WW! Victory medals for deceased family?

I have a Mexican Border medal to a guy who was KIA in WW1 and so was wondering if his mother might have been able to claim his Victory medal? As he was dead by the time MBSMs were issued anyway, I guess she might have..?

 

I assume there was a protocol for this?

 

Any help appreciated,

 

Roy

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  • 2 months later...

It is possible for NOK to obtain replacement medals, but the process may not be easy, depending on a couple of factors. First and foremost is who is considered NOK. The army can be very rigid when it come to the definition of NOK and relationship to the service member. Second, and probably most importantly, is verification that the service member is entitled to the medal in the first place. Normally the first place one may go would be the Records Center in St. Louis to obtain a copy of a service record. However, primarily in the case of an army, a lot of records no longer exist. There was a huge fire at the records center, back around 1973 if I remeber correctly, and a lot of records were destroyed. I know this first hand as attempted to obtain copies of my grandfathers and fathers WW1 and WW2 service records. The response I was sent that, due to the fire, they were no longer available. This is something to keep in mind when/if you contact them. You may have to find another method of proving service. The Veterans Administration or Social Security Administration may be of some help but I wouldn't hold my breath. Another thing is who is NOK. I also have some experience there. I had an uncle who served in the Marines Corp in WW2. He was KIA on Guam. In due course he was awarded the Navy Cross and Purple Heart, which were presented to my Grandmother sometime in 1946/47. Sometime after the award they were stolen. Years later my mother wrote to the Navy Department to see about obtaining replacements. At the time my grandmother was still living. The Navy Department wrote back basically saying that only my grandmother could request replacements as NOK. My mother, his sister, did not qualify. To make a long story short my grandmother had no real interest in obtaining replacements. Now that she is deceased, and upon looking into the matter again, the ND now says that only my mother can request them. I, as a nephew, can not. Things may have change since I looked into the subject but who knows.

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All the above is true. When I did my Army Grandfather, his last surviving son was still alive. I asked the son if I can use your power of attorney to issue them to me. He did. I sent a copy of a notorized statement giving me permission to receive his medals. Also, I sent them a copy of a Statement Of Service card (internet)and a courthouse copy (Power of attorney as well) of his WWI discharge (original is gone...somehow). When looked my paperwork, for the Silver Star Medal, they found 3 MORE awards as well. I even had medal ceremony for the Silver Star Medal. I am a proud owner of these decorations and awards. Good luck!

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