Rating Abbreviations Used on Dewey Medal

[usmedalman]

Can anyone confirm how the ratings for Second Class and Third Class were abbreviated on Dewey Medals? Also, were ratings such as Gunner's Mate, Machinist's Mate, etc. abbreviated as they were on Sampson medals or were they spelled out?

[aerialbridge]

11 hours ago, usmedalman said:

Can anyone confirm how the ratings for Second Class and Third Class were abbreviated on Dewey Medals? Also, were ratings such as Gunner's Mate, Machinist's Mate, etc. abbreviated as they were on Sampson medals or were they spelled out?

 

Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of scans on the internet of Dewey Machine machine engraving.   But I believe that all words were spelled out with no abbreviations, and both of the medals I have bear that out.  But I believe numbers were indicated such as 1st,   2nd,  etc,  and then the word "CLASS" spelled out.   The gov.t back then and Tiffany didn't cut corners on that contract or the engraving.

 

 

[jmpmstr]

I’ll second that just to validate, mine are spelled out as well

[usmedalman]

Thanks for showing clear engravings. I am still hoping to see a Second or Third Class rating.

[aerialbridge]

1 hour ago, usmedalman said:

Thanks for showing clear engravings. I am still hoping to see a Second or Third Class rating.

 

 

You can see the "APPRENTICE 1st CLASS" on the first picture.  But I have an email out to hopefully get a scan of a "FIREMAN 1st CLASS" example that you can see.   Tiffany struck the Dewey's from captured cannons of the Spanish Fleet that were melted down.  IMO, the reverses of the Dewey and Sampson Medals are among the finest examples of high relief medalic design and execution in military medals.   The Dewey was designed by Daniel French, who sculpted the Lincoln Memorial statue, and the Sampson was done by Charles Morgan, designer of the Morgan Dollar.