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Dewey Medal belonging to Captain Charles Vernon Gridley


71Mach
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I recently purchased a first expedition Byrd Bronze medal grouping from a collector friend of mine and he shared a really historic Dewey Medal with me belonging to Captain Charles Vernon Gridley. I felt privileged to even see a piece of history like that so I thought it should be shared. My buddy told me it took 10 years to acquire the medal but after a ton of leads and dead ends it finally led to a local antique dealer and the purchase of the medal. The antique dealer purchased it from a Gridley relative. Pictured is the Dewey Medal, original ribbon and case, picture of Gridley as a young boy (left), the seller didn't know who the other young child was in pic,...commemorative Dewey Medal and some other Dewey items. Hope the forum enjoys.

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A little more info on how it was acquired 

…..the Gridley relative gave the medal and other items to a neighbor. The medal was purchased from the Gridley Neighbor. I have also attached a souvenir plate named to Katrina V. Gridley  from a dinner that was given by the Union League Club of Brooklyn hosted for the Admiral and Mrs. Dewey on 2/8/1900. 

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"You may fire when you are ready,  Gridley" is in the Top 5 or 6 famous American Naval orders (or quotations), and arguably the most consequential since it commenced the most successful (even if one-sided) battle victory in the history of the United States Navy.   The aftermath?  Zero American combat deaths,  a handful of minor injuries,  a dozen enemy ship's sunk, its Pacific fleet wiped out and America became a global superpower literally overnight.  Glory days of yore.  The Boys of '98 nailed it.

 

https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/heritage/famous-navy-quotations.html

 

 

FIRE WHEN READY GRIDLEY USS OLYMPIA.jpg

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