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Dutch Bronze Cross Awarded To Officer on USS POPE - POW


tigerfan
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Here is an interesting group to an officer on board the USS POPE.  He was awarded the Dutch Bronze Cross for heroism during the battle of Java Sea on March 1, 1942.  The POPE was sunk during this battle and he soon became a resident of the Japanese military for the duration of the war.   The Dutch Bronze Cross was short lived with approx. 3500 awarded but only awarded 52 times to Americans.  I have more to this group and as time allows I will post more in the "Groupings" column.

 

 

 

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That is a very interesting and historic group.   The ribbons, medals and documentation is superb.  I learn something new every time I sign on to this forum.  Thanks for posting that group. 

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Great group Roger. I remember when it turned up 30+ years ago here in Seattle. I have something of his floating around here.

 

Kurt

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Wow, that is a very nice war strike Bronzen Kruis of the British firm Spink on its original ribbon.

 

The Netherlands government in exile in London obtained their Bronze Crosses (and Flying Crosses and Crosses of Merit) from two companies; Spink and Gaunt. Strikes from both companies differ on some small points in these medals.

Bronze Lions were manufactured from 1944 with the company Garrard. 

 

The stocks lasted till the late forties after which the Dutch Royal Mint made some new issues also because wearers needed additional copies. The Royal Mint strikes are mostly marked on the rim and they also differ slightly from the war strikes.

 

Bronze crosses were also awarded for actiosn after WW2: the Dutch East Indies, Korea and Dutch New Guinea.

Nowadays Bronze Crosses are awarded for Afghanistan. 24 in total.

 

Regards 

Herman 

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Outstanding group! This is the first time I've seen a DBC awarded to a USN Officer. I'm not on the Forum as much as I used to be, but posts like these makes me want to make the time to be more active. There is so much to learn.

 

Thank you for posting,

 

Joe

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  • 1 month later...

What great group, the rarity of the award, the story, and the custom ribbon rack are really something to behold.  Well done.

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