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Help with a SS grouping please


Phantomf4
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Could use some help here, So i'm on the fence with these, There is a named USAF medal and a Army commendation medal named in this grouping, I found a James A Means who was awarded the SS in Korea, But he was a Navy Corpsman. I know it's not impossible for a guy to be in 3 separate branches of service but it's odd. Also i'm unsure of the engraving. replacements? issue? The Bronze star just has his initials. Any thoughts?

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Im sure some will want more full detaileed pictures but looking at the SS.PH,BS they look like WW2 era medals awarded at a later date which isnt uncommon to see even for Vietnam awards to be older stock.I have a SS to aa Helicopter pilot if correctly identified.Also had the opprtunity to see a 101st KIA SS annd PH in the familes hands that were W2 medals.My USN and USMC Purple hearts from Vietnam are both WW2 eras medal engraved during Vietnam.

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Yeah, i talked to a guy alittle while ago that knew him, said he was in WW2 and Korea. Was a police officer in the 60's. I was thinking these are probably post war and just NOS medals. I'll try and do some better pictures.

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easterneagle87

Weren't AF guys getting Army Commendation medals until they created their own? Possible earlier award and then another AFCOM down the road.

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FYI, there is no Silver Star record card in the AAF / USAF NARA cards that cover WWII and Korea so his SSM is probably from another branch. I might add his AF serial number looks like a WWII voluntary enlistment block from 7th Corps (Great Plains)....a lot of those records didn't scan into the Nara enlistment database. This guy might've been Army ground forces in WWII and then switched to USAF (they would add the AF on his old serial number).

 

However, did find his 2 commendation records:

 

 

The USAF got it's own commendation medal in 1958 and quit wearing the Army style....hence one award is from 1957 (Army style) and 1961, new USAF style. At least these records give you his SN for more research.

 

 

For anyone interested, the database of award cards is here: (a little tough to navigate, but worth the effort) I didn't check the BSM record, might be something there?

 

https://catalog.archives.gov/search?q=*:*&f.ancestorNaIds=4530002&sort=naIdSort%20asc

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I just realized something, The Purple Heart has a gold star so that makes it US Navy right?

Well that helps ! most likely your guy is right then USN from Korea joined Air Force later ! Engravings on SS PH and BS are privately done but the other medals seem officially engraved IMO.

Great group !

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