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Display Dilemma


12A54
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I am creating a display of the medals of family members who have served.

 

My dilemma is that their records (when available) omit medals I think they earned.

 

Should I include medals that are not documented in their official paperwork?

 

Example 1.  Served in the 101st Airborne throughout the War.  Departed the ETO 15 Sep 1945.  His Separation papers only show the EAME and Distinguished Unit Badge.  His uniform has a ribbon for the Good Conduct Medal and the EAME.  So the GCM is not documented and I know he was eligible for the WWII Victory Medal and believe he qualified for the Army of Occupation Medal as he served for more than 30 consecutive days after 9 May 1945.

 

            Should I include a Good Conduct Medal, WWII Victory Medal, and the Occupation Medal in the display?

 

Example 2.  Served in the US Navy 1945-1946.  His Separation papers only show the American Campaign Medal and the WWII Victory Medal.  He was assigned to a transport ship and sailed multiple times between the US and Japan.  First voyage was 16 Oct to 20 Nov 1945 (35 days in theater), a second voyage was 28 Nov 1945 – 1 Jan 1946 (34 days in theater) and a third that departed in February 1946, date unknown.  Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal required 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days in theater before 2 Mar 1946.

 

            Should I include an Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal in the display?

 

This is a challenge for representing a servicemember’s true service / medal entitlement when the paperwork omits what they were eligible for.  Even worse when the documentation might have been lost in the NARA fire.

 

Any perspective, opinions, or advice would be appreciated.

 

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For example #1, I would definitely include the Victory Medal, that is a given. Probably same for the Occupation medal if you have the paperwork to support the dates served overseas. For the GCM, if it were me, I'd include it. It's not rare so it isn't something someone would use to embellish their uniform. If he served throughout the war, you can probably be 99% sure he was awarded a GCM at some point.

 

For example #2, I'm sure there is someone on the forum more knowledgeable in the Navy to confirm eligibility. I just don't know if the time spent in theater starts on day 1 of the voyage leaving the US or if the ship had to sail to a certain area first and then the clock starts on the eligible days.

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You can build them based on what you know would be true. Then write and have their records updated. I did it with my dad and got his GCM and NDSM added to his DD214. He was send an updated record and the awards he was due. 

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dhcoleterracina

For this type of display I see nothing wrong with including what he appears to have earned. I would only become concerned when the family "heard" he had received the Silver Star and want to include that without evidence.

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I have been the family military historian for over 45 yrs. I started at age 10. Over time I have been collecting stories, pictures, discharge papers, certificates, medals, ribbons, insignias, paperwork, manuals, etc. With that said, some family says no, you can't have it. I understand fully. I do make copies or photos of things I can't have. Also, some family has allowed me to get the Veteran's medals/ ribbons replacement set with signed consent from the Veteran or the Next Of Kin. On replacement sets, the government had found more awards. I have 3 types of categories in my archives. 1st the actual items from the Veteran (original or copied/photographed original pieces), 2nd are the government replacements. I do not mix them. I make separate shadow boxes for each. 3rd are things I purchase to items the Veteran would have owned but got lost over time. Example: I have my WWI grandfather's original medals, etc. Next are government replacements (they found 4 more), then I purchased:  PFC insignia disc, US/Signal Corps collar disks, service/wound chevrons, red honorable discharge chevron, etc. I store these in my archive but not displayed. My archive has military records, paperwork, photos, etc. Any documents I display are hi-rez copies and protect the original (even though some are copies). Sorry for getting long winded. I hope this helps you. Good luck.

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All - thanks very much for the various advice and perspectives.  I have no original medals, so am just sourcing what they earned as documented as well as not documented.  In a few cases the records omit medals they seem to have been qualified for and in others the records are unavailable.  I would never assume the award of decorations, just campaign and service medals.  The relative who served in the 101st Airborne has infantry brass and a CIB (as well as glider wings) on his Ike jacket, so maybe qualified for a Bronze Star, so that’s the only decoration I’m considering, but will likely omit that.

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48 minutes ago, 12A54 said:

All - thanks very much for the various advice and perspectives.  I have no original medals, so am just sourcing what they earned as documented as well as not documented.  In a few cases the records omit medals they seem to have been qualified for and in others the records are unavailable.  I would never assume the award of decorations, just campaign and service medals.  The relative who served in the 101st Airborne has infantry brass and a CIB (as well as glider wings) on his Ike jacket, so maybe qualified for a Bronze Star, so that’s the only decoration I’m considering, but will likely omit that.

 

If he had the CIB, he would have definitely had the Bronze Star. Now, did he ever receive it? That's one of those questions answered by pulling his file to see, and typically one of those "surprise" medals that shows up in a replacement set. But if he earned the CIB, in general, he should have a BSM. 

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28 minutes ago, Dave said:

 

If he had the CIB, he would have definitely had the Bronze Star. Now, did he ever receive it? That's one of those questions answered by pulling his file to see, and typically one of those "surprise" medals that shows up in a replacement set. But if he earned the CIB, in general, he should have a BSM. 

Dave, thanks.  NARA is closed (probably until next year) and the only things I have are his discharge (only lists EAME w/three campaigns and Distinguished Unit Badge) and his Ike jacket that has a GCM, EAME, and Asiatic Pacific (likely added by a confused family member) ribbons, a glider badge, a CIB, infantry brass and blue piped overseas cap.  (SSI are 101st on the left, Allied Airborne on the right).  The discharge lists him as a "postal clerk" assigned to the 101st Signal Company, so no idea if any of the infantry stuff is accurate - maybe he was infantry before going to the Signal Company?  It will be an even bigger challenge to sort it out if his records are lost....

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