Engraving on this Soldier’s Medal Legit?

[Manatee1015]

Hi everyone, I’m considering  buying a WWII Named & Engraved Soldier’s Medal. I have a few doubts regarding it and I was hoping  someone here might be able to help me in determining if the medal/engraving is legitimate or not.

 

Examples of Soldier’s Medals that have been engraved seem to be very few and far between. I’ve only come across a handful of them over the past decade or so. I found & looked through another thread here on USMF where people were showing off  the Named & Engraved Soldier’s Medals they had in their collections. Only one of them on that thread had a somewhat similar engraving style as the one I’m interested in potentially buying can see the two com in the photo below.

(The example from here onthe forum where the engraving is similar to the one I’m interested in buying.)

 

 (The one I’m interested in buying)

 

The strangest thing that’s very odd about it is that surprisingly it was awarded to a MARINE named Edward F. Oliver from Detroit, MI, not someone serving in the Army or the USAAF. I can’t find anything about him online about him, yet I have found four other other Edward Olivers who served in the Marines during WWII, which complicates things a bit. Does anyone know why this Marine would have been awarded a Soldier’s Medal as opposed to it’s USMC equivalent (the Navy & Marine Corps Medal)? I’ve checked the Award Cards for the Soldier’s Medal the National Archives has available online however they’re only for members of the USAAF/USAF so he wasn’t included with them.

Essentially, my two main concerns are:

1.) Is the engraving legit or has it been added recently to an unnamed Soldier’s Medal by a forger?

2.) Why would the Army have awarded it to him when it’s a medal meant for their branch of the military and not the Marine Corps. Just trying to do my due diligence to make sure I don’t waste my hard earned cash on buying an expensive medal if it is a fake/forged medal. Any thoughts, comments, and/or opinions that anyone has would be greatly appreciated!!! 
 

[268th C.A.]

First I'm no expert here. But there a few things I dont like, the U in USMC looks off, The letters are rounded on the corners instead of being straight. the scratch marks on the shield and lower banner, look suspious of tampering. I dont know of Marines getting a soldiers medal. I dont like it. JMO

[decwriter]

Here are a few articles for you. 
 

[268th C.A.]

I stand corrected, Thanks! 

[Manatee1015]

On 12/14/2025 at 9:47 AM, 268th C.A. said:

First I'm no expert here. But there a few things I dont like, the U in USMC looks off, The letters are rounded on the corners instead of being straight. the scratch marks on the shield and lower banner, look suspious of tampering. I dont know of Marines getting a soldiers medal. I dont like it. JMO

Thanks for commenting! I was thinking along the same lines with the rounded corners in the lettering, but I’m certainly far from an expert too haha. It’s difficult to say, when there are so few examples to compare it with. I’m a lot less skeptical now that I’ve seen the newspaper clippings above, but that still doesn’t mean that the engraving is truly legitimate. I’ve got my fingers crossed that it is legit but it obviouslycould still be potentially forged. @Dave Maybe Dave might be able to tell if the engraving is an original gov’t engraving or not?

[Manatee1015]

On 12/14/2025 at 9:55 AM, decwriter said:

Here are a few articles for you. 
 

WOW!!! Thanks Randy, those are great!! So it seems now that at least the second concern I had has been addressed. Fantastic to know that he did actually receive the Soldier’s Medal as a Marine. I really appreciate you sharing those newspaper clippings with me! Now hopefully the engraving is real. Looking forward to seeing if anyone else has any input in the engraving. Thanks again!

[KASTAUFFER]

The engraving on these is probably from the 1960s or later. The one marked USMC is not official engraving.  The other could be, but its not WWII,  During WWII Soldiers Medals were only hand engraved officially.  Some were stamped engraved at separation centers. None were machine engraved, 

 

Neither of then give me the warm and fuzzies. 

 

Kurt

[Manatee1015]

23 hours ago, KASTAUFFER said:

The engraving on these is probably from the 1960s or later. The one marked USMC is not official engraving.  The other could be, but its not WWII,  During WWII Soldiers Medals were only hand engraved officially.  Some were stamped engraved at separation centers. None were machine engraved, 

 

Neither of then give me the warm and fuzzies. 

 

Kurt

Thanks for the input and additional info Kurt! I’m going to steer clear on this one. Much appreciated 👍🏻

[Big Iron]

What's with the nasty rusty colored "wash" on the medal? There seems to be black grime, a rusty wash and wear on it but no damage or anything to the ribbon.