Is this medal naming correct? Post your engraving questions here!

[unclegrumpy]

[USMCR79]

3 hours ago, Dave said:

 

It appears all done with a laser engraver. It's bad enough I'm going to go wash my eyes with soap............. 😵

Well Dan Griffin sold it for $750

 

It’s a crazy world out there

 

Bill

[kfields]

Hi,   I picked this one up today at the flea market.  For $40, there's gotta be something wrong with it, right?

So I got it home and looked him up on line, born in 1915 and died in 1995, and his grave marker shows he was a WW2 veteran, received a Purple Heart and was a POW. Also he is local to me so very excited about that. 

Before I start doing more research, does the engraving look correct?

Thanks! Kim

[Dave]

Kim-

 

Nice pickup! The engraving almost looks like the not-so-great engraving that was used rarely during the Korean War. Or, it could be privately done. Either way, it looks good to me and I'd be happy with that purchase for sure.

Dave

[kfields]

53 minutes ago, Dave said:

Kim-

 

Nice pickup! The engraving almost looks like the not-so-great engraving that was used rarely during the Korean War. Or, it could be privately done. Either way, it looks good to me and I'd be happy with that purchase for sure.

Dave

Thanks a bunch Dave!

Kim

[KASTAUFFER]

Norwood Emrick was a WWII POW. The engraving on his PH actually looks like WWII official small machine engraving to me. 

 

[Mike Kasper]

Kim, is it possible for you zoom in for a clear close up photograph of his name?  Curious to inspect the engraving details. Thanks!

[KASTAUFFER]

The machine engraving on this piece should have a flat bottom with circular engraving swirls on the bottom easily visible under a loop . 

[kfields]

Kastuffer and Mike, thanks for the replies!   

Does this closer shot help?

Also a researcher replied to me in the Individual and Unit Research section with an article from the July 29, 1945 edition of the Dayton Journal Herald where Mr. Emrick talks about being a paratrooper, multiple jumps, captured in Belgium and then held on Jersey Island, one of the channel islands! But no unit! Makes me wonder how he found himself held there as a prisoner rather than on the mainland??

 

Not that it matters much but I did purchase this from a seller in Urbana, Ohio, about 20-ish miles from Dayton, Ohio, Mr. Emrick's hometown.

Thank you!

44 minutes ago, KASTAUFFER said:

The machine engraving on this piece should have a flat bottom with circular engraving swirls on the bottom easily visible under a loop . 

 

54 minutes ago, Mike Kasper said:

Kim, is it possible for you zoom in for a clear close up photograph of his name?  Curious to inspect the engraving details. Thanks!

 

[Snafu44]

Hello, I am interested in this set of medals but I don't know if they are ww2 original. I have done some online research on the soldier. On FindaGrace it says he received the Purple Heart and Silver Star.
I wanted to get some opinions on the engravings.

Thanks

 

 

 

[starrynights]

Hello. I recently saw this WWII Distinguished Flying Cross online and am wondering if the engraving is official. The engraving seems to be handmade but has blocky letters instead of the smoother ones found on other examples on the forum. The medal also seems to be much darker than the hanger, is this normal? 

 

[KASTAUFFER]

The DFC would have been engraved in the 1945-46 time frame and looks OK to me. 

[KASTAUFFER]

On 12/16/2023 at 4:24 AM, Snafu44 said:

Hello, I am interested in this set of medals but I don't know if they are ww2 original. I have done some online research on the soldier. On FindaGrace it says he received the Purple Heart and Silver Star.
I wanted to get some opinions on the engravings.

Thanks

 

 

 

 

The engraving on these is not from WWII . Re-issues at best, 

 

This is the auction desc:

WWII US ARMY NAMED SILVER STAR & PURPLE HEART
WWII US Army Named & Numbered Silver Star, Named Purple Heart, and Campaign Medals. Named to Marvin C. Rector. (1) Name Engraved & Serial Numbered Silver Star. "Marvin C. Rector" is engraved on the back and stamped "79915". (1) Name Engraved Purple Heart. "Marvin C. Rector" is engraved on the back. No number. (5) Good Conduct & Campaign Medals. - The II Corps began attacks across the Rapido River toward Monte Cassino on January 20, 1944. This action resulted in heavy casualties, and is considered to be one of the toughest battles in the Italian Campaign. Technician 5th Grade Marvin C. Rector, 19th Engineer Battalion was awarded the Silver Star by General Orders #29, Headquarters 11 Corps, for action at the Rapido River, his citation dated April 24, 1944, stating: For gallantry in action on ** and ** January, 1944, in the vicinity of ****, Italy. While his company was engaged in support of a forced crossing of the **** River, Corporal Rector voluntarily participated in an extremely hazardous mission of clearing a path through an antipersonnel minefield. During daylight, and under small arms and mortar fire, he aided in successfully clearing and marking a vitally necessary path to the river, in order that an attack could take place as planned. Again, on the evening of ** January, on the trail through the minefield, once more under fire, he found a soldier seriously wounded by a mine explosion. Voluntarily entering the minefield to obtain a stretcher lying there, he aided in evacuating the wounded man. The conduct of Corporal Rector during this action is deserving of the highest praise, and reflects credit upon himself, his unit, and the Armed Forces.

[starrynights]

1 hour ago, KASTAUFFER said:

The DFC would have been engraved in the 1945-46 time frame and looks OK to me. 

That's interesting to know. Thanks Kurt!

[P-59A]

I came across this KIA grouping in the possession of the vet's sister. She told me she had always been miffed that her brothers PH was botched and they sent it anyway.

[starrynights]

Hello. I came across this WWII Silver Star being offered for sale recently. Is this engraving official? Most of the silver star engraving photos I found on the forum seem to have the name engraved with a slant. 

[BigJohn#3RD]

4 hours ago, starrynights said:

Hello. I came across this WWII Silver Star being offered for sale recently. Is this engraving official? Most of the silver star engraving photos I found on the forum seem to have the name engraved with a slant. 

More knowledgeable folks are on this forum; however, it is hand engraved in a similar style to WWII PHs between 44 and 46. I want to say that the slant style of engraving on Silver Stars came out later in 46 or 47 when the Bronze Stars had the slanted style and were often issued for CIB or CMB that were authorized in 1947. Again, it is a SWAG on my part, but I would not mind purchasing it if the price was okay.

Best regards,

John

[starrynights]

12 hours ago, BigJohn#3RD said:

More knowledgeable folks are on this forum; however, it is hand engraved in a similar style to WWII PHs between 44 and 46. I want to say that the slant style of engraving on Silver Stars came out later in 46 or 47 when the Bronze Stars had the slanted style and were often issued for CIB or CMB that were authorized in 1947. Again, it is a SWAG on my part, but I would not mind purchasing it if the price was okay.

Best regards,

John

 

Ahh. Didn't know the slant style actually came out later. Good to know. Thanks John!

[veklee]

here iam still being a pain for which im sorry but is the ok ?  as im still getting used to this prob an age thing and ive already asked

thank you in advance

[268th C.A.]

It looks good to me...

[Guest Jetlady]

On 12/27/2023 at 8:57 AM, KASTAUFFER said:

 

The engraving on these is not from WWII . Re-issues at best, 

 

This is the auction desc:

WWII US ARMY NAMED SILVER STAR & PURPLE HEART
WWII US Army Named & Numbered Silver Star, Named Purple Heart, and Campaign Medals. Named to Marvin C. Rector. (1) Name Engraved & Serial Numbered Silver Star. "Marvin C. Rector" is engraved on the back and stamped "79915". (1) Name Engraved Purple Heart. "Marvin C. Rector" is engraved on the back. No number. (5) Good Conduct & Campaign Medals. - The II Corps began attacks across the Rapido River toward Monte Cassino on January 20, 1944. This action resulted in heavy casualties, and is considered to be one of the toughest battles in the Italian Campaign. Technician 5th Grade Marvin C. Rector, 19th Engineer Battalion was awarded the Silver Star by General Orders #29, Headquarters 11 Corps, for action at the Rapido River, his citation dated April 24, 1944, stating: For gallantry in action on ** and ** January, 1944, in the vicinity of ****, Italy. While his company was engaged in support of a forced crossing of the **** River, Corporal Rector voluntarily participated in an extremely hazardous mission of clearing a path through an antipersonnel minefield. During daylight, and under small arms and mortar fire, he aided in successfully clearing and marking a vitally necessary path to the river, in order that an attack could take place as planned. Again, on the evening of ** January, on the trail through the minefield, once more under fire, he found a soldier seriously wounded by a mine explosion. Voluntarily entering the minefield to obtain a stretcher lying there, he aided in evacuating the wounded man. The conduct of Corporal Rector during this action is deserving of the highest praise, and reflects credit upon himself, his unit, and the Armed Forces.

 

[Guest Jetlady]

These medals are original.  They were my fathers and I have been trying for over 50 years to get them back.  He lost them in an unfortunate circumstance.  My brother has reissues and they do not have serial numbers on them.  If anyone knows who bought these I wish to purchase them back.  PLEASE

[unclegrumpy]

20 minutes ago, Jetlady said:

These medals are original.  They were my fathers and I have been trying for over 50 years to get them back.  He lost them in an unfortunate circumstance.  My brother has reissues and they do not have serial numbers on them.  If anyone knows who bought these I wish to purchase them back.  PLEASE

 

Jetlady...

 

You should try messaging Snafu44 to see if he bought these two medals.  

 

If you notice KASTAUFFER's comments, he mentions the engraving on these medals dates them to well after WW II....likely into the late 1960's to 1970's.  The "pin" on the Silver Star is also from this same era.

 

That said, your father or a family member probably received these in the 1960's to 1970's.  So they were "his", but not the ones he was originally given during or right after WW II.  This effects the value to collectors, but not to you, because these replacements are likely the medals you remember your father had.  

 

This is important, because we would like to see you get these back, but not have to pay too much for them.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

[P-59A]

On 10/11/2022 at 8:41 AM, Dave said:

Dear Giuseppe:

I encourage you to read through the posts here on the forum before making any purchases as you can learn a lot with regard to what the medals are supposed to look like that you are looking for. 

For example, this Air Medal is a generic Air Medal from the 1970s or 1980s, awarded to members of all branches of the service. Could it have been awarded to a Navy pilot? Yes, it could have been, but there's nothing to specifically show that it was awarded to a Navy pilot or an Air Force pilot, etc. 

 

With regard to medal engraving, that is also rather complex. I wrote a book on the subject, but the book assumes the reader has a general understanding of the types of medals awarded during WW2, as I concentrate more on the styles of engraving rather than the actual construction of the medals themselves. 

 

As a general rule, all military decorations (e.g. those medals awarded for valor or merit) awarded posthumously from WW2 through the middle of the Vietnam War for all branches of the service had the recipient's name engraved on the reverse by official government engravers (contract or government employees). 

 

Good Conduct medals are different in that prior to WW2, Navy Good Conducts were named. However, during WW2, not all were named. Similarly, some Army Good Conduct medals were also named during WW2, but the majority were not. If the Good Conduct medals were awarded posthumously, they were engraved with the recipient's name.

 

High medals for valor and merit were often named before they were awarded by official government engravers, but this is not always the case. Even the Medal of Honor, not awarded posthumously, was often awarded in the field with no name engraving on it. 

 

Likewise, people could get their medals engraved. They could send them in to the government and have them engraved, or they could have a jeweler or professional engraver inscribe their name on the medal. 

 

There are many, many variations and very few things are "always" with the exception of posthumous medals being engraved with the recipient's name. Beyond this, there is an entirely different discussion when it comes to "correct" engraving, fake engraving, and so on. 

 

I hope this helps!

Dave

 

Link to my book on amazon (I believe it is available in Italy?) 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sacrifice-Remembered-Posthumous-Awards-Purple/dp/0979284910

Hey Dave,

                 I pick up stuff at swapmeets. Most of what I find are singles in display box's with a mix of stuff. If they take a few bucks I'll pick it up, As a result I have a number of medals I just tossed into a box. I never paid any attention to them untill I came across this thread. So out the Good Conduct Medal I have glombed onto three are named. If understand this correctly the one far left is WW2 issue for sure. The one in the middle with the dark letters is late or post WW2 and the one on the right is post war?

                

[veklee]

14 hours ago, 268th C.A. said:

It looks good to me...

thank you