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stratasfan
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Created by the United States Department of War in December 1917, the Mexican Service Medal was awarded to military personnel who carried out duties against hostile Mexican parties during designated periods between 1911 and 1919 amid what is generally referred to as the Border War or Border Campaign.

 

Qualifying terms of duty include participation in any of the activities and/or engagements listed below:

-The Vera Cruz Expedition, dates ranging from April 24 through November 26 of 1914
-The Punitive Expedition in Mexico, dates ranging from March 14 of 1916 to February 7 or 1917
-Buena Vista, December 1 of 1917
-San Bernardino Canyon, December 26 of 1917.
-LeGrulla, TX, January 8 and 9 of 1918
-Pilares, March 28 of 1918
-Nogales, AZ, dates ranging from November 1 to November 5 of 1915 or the day of August 27 of 1918.
-El Paso, TX, June 15 and 16 of 1919
-Juarez, June 15 and 16 of 1919
-All actions and/or engagements with Mexican enemy parties that resulted in the death or injury of any United States military personnel between the dates of April 12 of 1911 and February 7 or 1917.

 

Medal

The Army and Navy versions of the award are not distinct; however, the appearance of the medal differs slightly between the two. The Navy’s medal features an image of the San Juan de Ulua fortress located in the harbor at Vera Cruz and text reading “MEXICO 1911-1917.” The Army’s edition, on the other hand, depicts a flowering yucca plant superimposed over a background of desert landscape and mountains. The ribbon for both is the same: a vertical stripe of blue in the central with a thin green vertical stripe on each edge and a thicker yellow stripe separating the green and the blue.

The award was limited as a one-time honor; Army members commended for notably gallant conduct were eligible to receive the Citation Star as a device. This allowance was not made for the Navy version of the award

 

The Army authorized both the Philippine Campaign and Mexican Service medals to be engraved with the recipient's date(s) of qualifying service. The dates are typically hand-engraved and may include multiple years.

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This Mexican Service Medal is part of a grouping. It was awarded to Peter Vandebunt who served with Battery C, Sixth Field Artillery. The number on the rim matches the box number.

 

I was given this medal by Mr. Vandebunt in the early 1980's when I interviewed him.

 

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Great medal! I've found that when it comes to the Army Mexican Service Campaign Medal, a later unprefixed number contract medal such as this one with original ribbon and brooch seems to be tougher to find than the earlier "No." or "MNo." prefixed original issue medals. And, you have the original box!

Kurt

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  • 4 months later...

For the USMC variation of the Mexican Service medal, was the rim just numbered or did it have the prefix M No? Reason I ask is I'm looking at a nice early GC to a Marine who rated Mexican Campaign 533 according to the papers, and on eBay currently is medal 532, no prefix on the rim.

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FrankEaton01

All numbered USMC Mexican Service medals were made by BB&B and have unprefixed numbers and split brooches. The US Mint struck a relatively small number of wrap brooch USN Mexican Service medals with the "M.No." prefix in the 15,000 - 16,675 range. USMC Mexican Service medal #533 is attributed to Clarence H. Towne, but #532 is not traceable. While not traceable, the "M.No." Army Mexican Service is still one of the rare campaign medal variations, with only about 200 issued.

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  • 7 months later...

I know that this medal is out of the number range of M.No. 15501 - M. No. 16674 for US Mint made USN Mexican Service medals. It sold on Ebay a few weeks back.

 

What are your thoughts on it? Note the number impressions. I also believe that the original US Mint made ones have a full wrap brooch?

 

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I don't know about this one. I have an original Mint Contract too, that is full wrap. One other thing I noticed about this one that doesn't look right is the suspension ring on the planchet. Seems to be split. SHould be one solid piece, right? Looks like a tough copy if that's the case.

G

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It appears to be a thick planchet Studley strike. Could be an old one, or could be one of the NOS studleys that hit the market in the 1980s.

 

Could be a Studley replacement, but I'd want some provenance.

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  • 3 years later...

(This information is from The Gleim Medal Letters 1971-1997. A must have if you are going to collect early American medals.)

 

Mexican Border Service Medal - The last contract that produced medals numbered 41074 thru 41316 was Northern Stamping dated 30 June 1942.

 

I think the numbers listed are the lowest and highest medal numbers observed from the that particular contact.

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I recently acquired a small grouping: a Navy Mexican Service Medal #135 and a WWI Victory Medal with an Atlantic Fleet bar. I believe the medal was re-brooched. Can anyone give me information on the recipient?

 

Front

 

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The medal is known as the Navy Mexico Service Medal - it appears to be an old reribboning however the broach is original - available rosters only give name in that number span #11, #97, & #153.

 

Nice condition

 

Bill

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  • 7 months later...

I was hoping to put together a comprehensive presentation of the USN and USMC Mexican Service Medal in observance of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vera Cruz but unfortunately it’s going to be a bit belated. In the mean time, here the original Bailey, Banks and Biddle design for the medal that I copies from USN correspondence files in the National Archives. It’s interesting to compare the differences in the final product. Note how the dates on the proposed design are very similar to the way the date 1915 appears on the Haitian Campaign Medal, which was also designed about the same time (1918).

 

One thing I’ve never been able to figure out; Why the 1911 date on the medal? The first engagement for the medal, as listed in the Navy Awards Manual, is April 1914 (Vera Cruz). However, the Army does list engagements on the border as early as 1911 as qualifying for the medal, which explains the use of this date on their medal. Perhaps the Navy just copied the dates from the Army medal without realizing that 1911 didn’t apply to them? Does anyone have any info on why the earlier date appears on the Navy medal?

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  • 2 years later...

US Army Mexico Service Medal No. 5969 Issued to Cook William Adam - Co. G 35th Infantry on July 1, 1919.

 

The Nogales Engagement took place on August 27, 1918 and involved a squadron of the 10th Cav. and Companies F, G, & H of the 35th Infantry, which started as a minor altercation however escalated into a battle causing 5 US Army casualties, and 129 Mexican casualties including 2 German advisors to the Mexican Army.

Additionally 2 DSCs were awarded for this engagement.

 

I originally discovered this medal at the Webster Florida Flea market in 1990, sold it in Gleim's Auction in 1997 (his last auction) and reacquired it last week after having sold this 20 years ago.

 

William Adam was from my hometown of Springfield Massachusetts

 

 

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  • 2 years later...
Leatherneck72

I am attempting to research this medal, it is No. 1158. Are the US Army Mexican Service Medals traceable if you merely have the number vs. the name? How is the this style different than the ones that you normally see for men that served on the Punitive Expedition chasing Pancho Villa? Did they use both medals for the Villa campaign, but only the earlier one for Vera Cruz and the earlier Mexico actions? I know someone on here will know....

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Hello,

 

Your medal was issued to Arthur J. Brien for service as a Private in L Troop, 6th Cavalry.

 

Semper Fi,

Bruce Linz

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The troops that crossed the border with Pershing were Regular Army Troops - The Mexican Service medal was issued primariliy to the Regular Army troops from 1914 to 1918 - The Mexican Border Service medal was issued primarily to National Guard troops that were called up in the 1916 time frame to help guard the border

 

Bill

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Ahhhh OK. The other medal was for National Guard Units....that makes sense. Thanks guys.

While the main impetus for the creation of the Army Mexican Border Service Medal in 1918 was to recognize the service of National Guard soldiers federalized for service during border troubles and did not qualify for the Mexican Service Medal. Eligible for the medal were both Regular Army and National Guard soldiers who served from May 1916 to March 1917 or for service with the Mexican Border Patrol from January 1916 to April 1917. That would include plenty of non-National Guard troops

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  • 1 year later...

Greetings.

I just found this Mexican Service medal with "No. 5021" and I believe these fall in the number ranges that can be traced. Just wondering if anyone could provide me any info on the recipient? Thanks so much in advance!

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