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The National Security Medal


jmpmstr
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I’ve been holding on to this guy for some time but thought it’s worth a conversation since there is not much out there. Some basic info from the writing of Ron Fischer and Charles McDowell:

 

The National Security Medal was a decoration of the United States of America officially established by President Harry S. Truman in Executive Order 10431 of January 19, 1953. The medal was awarded to any person, without regard to nationality, for distinguished achievement or outstanding contribution on or after July 26, 1947, in the field of intelligence relating to the national security of the United States.

 

I’ve seen early pictures and writing where the ladder is embroidered into the ribbon and later was silk screened. Early images have come few and far between which is another reason I thought I’d bring this up. It is by far one of the most beat and at the same time loud decorations we have. These gentleman do a great service providing the information in their writing along with some great pictures of medals, recipients, and documents. 
 

I came into this example several years ago and since it’s always intrigued me I bought it. It did not have a lapel device and I don’t know that it even has one. I’ve not found a picture of a complete set. According to Messers Fischer and McDowell the early strikes were more matte in finish and numbered. Additionally the tell is the cut out between the eagle’s tail and the badge. Later strikes have the tail connected to the badge. 
I’ve added it to an earlier untitled Arrow case for storage and display. 
 

If you have any please feel free to share and add to the conversation. 

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I can’t add anything useful, but it’s a great looking medal.  I never knew these existed, thanks for posting it and giving me a chance to learn something.  

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Yes, its one of my favorites and I have a few myself.  You have a nice early striking, heavy with the slightly imperfect enamel and sewn broach.   For a brief time the medal became obsolete.  It seemed to have been revived sometime in the 90's when I wasn't looking.  The modern strikings are virtually perfect with perfect enamel work which seem almost plastic and fake, to me anyway.   I think of it as the "spy" medal because the information on it is virtually non existent for the more then 30 years I have had mine.  Even the Wiki page was only created in 2009.   But it seems it was presented to high ranking officials in National Security.  And I have NEVER seen a device denoting a second awarding or heard of a second awarding being made though Wiki states it is an Oakleaf device.  The National Intelligence medals are nice as well if you ever have a chance to pick up the Distinguished Intelligence star (Compass rose) or the Achievement medal.  Though I have not seen either of those offered in a couple of decades or more.  Congratulations on this find.

 

P.S.  It did originally have a lapel device (a gold miniature of just the planchet itself)and I had several cheep copies made in the late 80's along with the medal, out of pewter, and sold them for like $40.  Many of them went to or through George Shank.  The early medal had woven ribbons and the later medals were simply silkscreen on the ribbon.

 

P.S. P.S.  The very first run had white enamel around the compass rose instead of being cut out like the current version.  IIRC

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I appreciate your input. A mysterious medal from a secretive type agency still remains shrouded in a bit of mystery I like it. 
I would love to see yours if you’re open to sharing but understand if not. I was always under the impression the white enamel was in later strikes and the rosette wasn’t pierced on those. I’ve seen photos of the white filled rosette but always on a later shiny gilt, no eagle tail cut out medal. Am I mixing 2 different features up in my brain housing unit? 
You’re right on about info, I spend better part of yesterday on line trying to track down more but found exactly what you described, minimal. I first saw it in the Robles book on US medals and thought it was the coolest looking thing. That was 40+ years ago and it remains that way but with a piqued interest in it. 

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I'll do some digging.  Have had a couple of PC crashes in the last few decades loosing all my pics but I may have something hidden away, I hope.  Well, the whole "white enamel" may be a tall tale in the end.  I have never seen nor have I heard from another individual that actually laid eyes on that unicorn, only the fairy tail.  😢  I guess it is possible it was a sample strike, that would make sense.   Later being modified for production due to cost or unapproving feedback.   Now my hunt begins!  😅

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Yes, I’d tend to think the extra enamel work would increase cost so I think you’re correct. I feel like I read that somewhere as well. More to follow...

 

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Actually, the National Security Medal was established by President Truman in Executive Order 10431 on January 19, 1953. The obverse of the medal was designed in collaboration between John Sterner and Robert M. Gaynor (an employee of the CIA and WW II recipient of the DSC). Medal #1 was awarded to General Walter Bedell Smith in 1953. In the same year Medal #2 was awarded to Rear Admiral Joseph N. Wenger and Medal #4 was awarded to Kermit Roosevelt. General Donovan did not get his until 1957, when he was awarded Medal #7. Some of the more recent recipients include John O. Brennan and James R. Clapper, both in 2006. In my view, one of the most deserving recipients was Kelly Johnson who ran the Lockheed "Skunk Works" - but most folks don't know about him because so much of what he did was very highly classified. Although the National Security Medal is alive and well, the best stories behind it will never be told. 

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I had another one of these several years ago. I remember for sure that it was slot brooch but I can’t remember the ribbon details. At that time time ( long before the Call of Duty book was written) I didn’t have that much of an eye for subtle differences or details. I only had a few non military medals at that time and I traded them all off about seven or so years ago. Since Covid started up i started heavily acquiring all of the US civilian agency and department medals I can get my hands on. Some are really hard to find , for example the three most recently authorized NASA medals and a couple of those authorized for the Defense Intelligence Agency.

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Fantastic discussion. I think the civilian agency medals are such an interesting genre. I’m partial to the older variations but as you stated, there are newer awards that are a must if your collecting that type. I have a spot for NASA medals as well, I had 2 x cased early sets of mid level awards with rosettes etc but sold them off and regretted it since so I’m getting back into them. I’ve not seen the new ones you mentioned. 

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US Civilian medals - 80% of these have been acquired since the first of the year. All of the NASA examples are early strikes with engraved reverses. 

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Just tremendous!!! I’m a fan of the PMOF set. It is impressive in hand for sure. I’ve also not seen the full SSA compliment in a collection. I keep going back and staring at the pics. You’ve always had the best in any of your collection I’ve been lucky enough to see here in the past. 
Thank you for sharing once again 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well the day after I posted my last comment I was able to dig up 6 different images of NS medals I had after all my PC crashes and what do you know, my laptop hard drive died!  I put an extra drive in hoping it had some stuff on it, nothing, not even Word or Excel!  I can not wait for this year to be over!  : ( Uggg!

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I’ve collected US medals since the mid sixties and had always avoided those from various civilian agencies. I bought a large lot of various insignia late last year and there were a couple of Navy civilian service medals in the lot. I was struck by the superior quality of the strikes which were head and shoulders above anything struck recently for the Military. This was odd in that many were by the same manufacturers. For example Graco made campaign medals for the Gulf war and beyond are junk, but their medals for NASA and the DOD are very well made. Many of these medals aren’t hard to find but several are seldom seen, so it’s been interesting trying to complete sets.  The four most recent NASA medals are impossible to find and I’ve been told the Dept of Heraldry has them and others  under tight rein. The same is true for State Department medals. Those are out there but the few I’ve seen have been insanely priced. 

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Thank you for your continued input. I have noticed that same difference. Different specs in the contracts? More stringent or specific as to the quality control? I do find the State Department and Intelligence agencies have wonderful design and quality. You’ve set a new bar with your collection 

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  • 2 years later...
3 hours ago, jmpmstr said:

Resurrecting this one

Anyone have or seen a lapel button or lapel pin for the National Security Medal? 

Sadly never. 

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UK Medal guy

Hello everyone.
 

I've just signed up to this site, but have been reading the posts for a while now, learning and trying to remember what I can from the amazing amount of knowledge that people have (and generously share)!

I came across these particular posts when I was looking for more information on this medal, and I remembered that I had a set (in its original cardboard shipping box) that included the lapel button badge – I think it's probably an early 1980s production medal (because of the brooch markings) in a 1990s box, but I'm not too sure. The ribbon brooch is marked Lordship NY GI, although to my mind, that would make it too old for the planchet production style (which to my eyes seems to be more of a late 90s Graco style??). 
 

As you can see from the images, I have 3 versions. The boxed one with a woven ribbon, plus ribbon and lapel badge, but the tail isn't cut out; another with a woven ribbon, but where the tail is cut out; and then a version with a slot brooch and printed ribbon where the tail isn't cut out either. The finish on the gold parts of the medal varies, with the boxed version (which I believe is of more recent manufacture) having burnished highlights on a frosted background, which is similar in style to the later Graco "G27" brooch marked medals that I've got. The other 2 versions seem to have a frosted reverse, but shiny obverse. I'm guessing that the medal planchets were made at different times by different manufacturers, but that they were then finished with a ribbon and boxed as and when required by a different company. Would that make sense, or am I jumping to the wrong conclusion with the different medal types? The enamelling is also a bit different, with what I think of as the 2 older medals having thinner letters with the enamel changing colour where it connects with the metal, and the newer medal having absolutely perfect flat-coloured enamel and thicker letters.

Thanks to everyone who's contributed, it's great to see this medal and the information about it that folks have put up already – it's a rare beast to see, and it's good to see that other folks have similar versions to the ones that I have. I was never exactly sure whether I'd got bona fide medals, especially with the printed ribbon versions and the cut out/non-cut out section under the tail. 

I (mainly!) collect US federal agency, NASA, Dept of State medals, and the NS medal is definitely one of my favourites, but it was also awesome to see the amazing collection posted above by jweitkamp, fabulous medals!

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