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Foreign decorations worn by US military


Bluehawk
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GENERAL LEWIS W. WALT, USMC

 

480px-Lwwalt.jpg

 

Navy Cross w/ 1 award star

Navy Distinguished Service Medal w/ 1 award star

Silver Star

Legion of Merit w/ valor device

Bronze Star w/ valor device

Purple Heart w/ 1 award star

Navy Presidential Unit Citation w/ 5 service stars

Navy Unit Commendation w/ 1 service star

China Service Medal

American Defense Service Medal w/ Base clasp

American Campaign Medal

Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 4 service stars

World War II Victory Medal

Navy Occupation Service Medal w/ Asia clasp

National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 service star

Korean Service Medal w/ 2 service stars

Vietnam Service Medal w/ 4 service stars

Order of National Security Merit, Ulchi Medal w/ silver star

Order of National Security Merit, Ulchi Medal, 2nd class

Order of National Security Merit, Ulchi Medal, 3rd class

Korean Order of Service Merit, 2nd class

Order of the Cloud and Banner, w/ Grand Cordon

Choung My Medal

National Order of Vietnam, Commander

National Order of Vietnam, Officer

Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ 2 palms

Korean Presidential Unit Citation

Vietnam Gallantry Cross unit citation

United Nations Korea Medal

Vietnam Campaign Medal

 

Another one ...

 

3709613024_c1b4d0b213.jpg

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Absolutely, my Dad was awarded 4 Vietnamese medals, beside the the standard Vietnam Campaign Medal. He received the Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star, Honor Medal 2nd Class, Technical Service Medal 2nd Class, and the Civic Actions Honor Medal 2nd Class. After Vietnam it would be a different story all-together. I don't think you see very many foreign medals/decorations after Vietnam at all, except all of the NATO medals.

That is unusual, for sure.

 

Fascinating topic...

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It should be pointed out that foreign decorations were often presented as a courtesy to the US, specifically to Pres Wilson when he visited after the war. My cousin's father-in-law was never in Belgium during the fighting, but he was still in France, recovering from wounds, when Wilson arrived for the peace conference. Maj Portman was presented the Order of Leopold by the Belgian gov't.

 

I am presently restoring a 4-star uniform -- he was a regimental CO and division, corps and armly level staff officer. He came home with decorations from Britain, France, Czechoslovakia, Brazil and Italy. Brazilian and Polish troops served under Fifth Army where he was, but there was never any direct association I can see with Czechoslovakia.

 

I suspect the selection process went like this. From the foreign commander or government to an American commander: "We want to recognize representatives of your army for their services. Please select X number of officers to receive Y decorations."

 

BTW -- I wonder if the "Italian" decoration of the 2nd Div DCS recipient's chest isn't the New York WW1 medal. The ribbon is similar. Was he from NY?

 

G

 

Gil,

What or who's uniform are you working on?

4starchris

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GEN Ben Harrell. Will have final report on my project in a coupla weeks when the ribbons arrive from Taiwan.

 

G

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GEN Ben Harrell. Will have final report on my project in a coupla weeks when the ribbons arrive from Taiwan.

 

G

 

 

I would love to know how pissed good old George was with catching that last ribbon on things constantly..... :lol:

 

-Ski

post-3043-1256387681.jpg

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Here's another one for you guys. I have his evening formal dress uniform (tails) and have always wanted to put together a set of minis to display with it, but probably wouldn't be able to find (or even ID) all the correct foreign medals.

post-781-1256550937.jpg

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Military-Memorabilia
G,

MacNider was from Northern Iowa.

 

RON

 

 

From good 'ol River City!!!! (also home to Meredith Willson - but I digress) The MacNider Museum is a popular local attraction here. I would imagine they would give their eye teeth to get ahold of his uniform!

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I wrote a lengthy article for the JOMSA entitled "Soviet Awards to Americans in the Second World War" where I ran through the process (as it applied to Soviet awards) for awarding the medals/orders to American servicemen.

 

There were various means, but the most common was the "give us a list of those personnel deserving awards and we'll give them awards". One recipient of foreign awards, Colonel John Wohner, was given some "cherry" foreign awards, and he related to me later that he was given them because his chain of command felt that he had been shortchanged in receiving a DSC vice the MOH for an action in 1944.

 

Below is a photo of the late Colonel Wohner with his awards in 2007.

 

Dave

ColonelWohner.jpg

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Dave's superb article on WW2 Soviet awards to Americans appeared in the Sept.-Oct. 2007 issue of Journal OMSA. I had previously written a 16 page monograph on the same topic, which was used as the hand-out for the 2006 OMSA Convention. It fits in nicely as a supplement to Dave's article. The monograph detailed WW2 Soviet awards to 206 US Navy & Coast Guard personnel, and to 106 US Army graduates of West Point, and included 8 pages of discussion & some examples. There may be some extra copies left over from that Convention, if any Forum members might be interested.

 

The comprehensive totals of foreign awards to the AEF for WW1 were listed in the 1924 Annual Report of the Secretary of War. In addition, two separate monographs give more details of British and Belgian awards to the AEF. And the Army award card set at NARA - St. Louis will have WW1 foreign awards filed by recipient name. For WW2 foreign awards to Americans, the situation is very sketchy. I know only of the Belgian awards summary published in the book "Belgium Rembers & Honors the U.S. Armies of Liberation."

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I wrote a lengthy article for the JOMSA entitled "Soviet Awards to Americans in the Second World War" where I ran through the process (as it applied to Soviet awards) for awarding the medals/orders to American servicemen.

 

There were various means, but the most common was the "give us a list of those personnel deserving awards and we'll give them awards". One recipient of foreign awards, Colonel John Wohner, was given some "cherry" foreign awards, and he related to me later that he was given them because his chain of command felt that he had been shortchanged in receiving a DSC vice the MOH for an action in 1944.

 

Below is a photo of the late Colonel Wohner with his awards in 2007.

 

Dave

 

NICE image!!

 

The medal w/ green ribbon is the Brazilian Military Order.

 

Best regards,

 

Ricardo.

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Dave's superb article on WW2 Soviet awards to Americans appeared in the Sept.-Oct. 2007 issue of Journal OMSA. I had previously written a 16 page monograph on the same topic, which was used as the hand-out for the 2006 OMSA Convention. It fits in nicely as a supplement to Dave's article. The monograph detailed WW2 Soviet awards to 206 US Navy & Coast Guard personnel, and to 106 US Army graduates of West Point, and included 8 pages of discussion & some examples. There may be some extra copies left over from that Convention, if any Forum members might be interested.

 

The comprehensive totals of foreign awards to the AEF for WW1 were listed in the 1924 Annual Report of the Secretary of War. In addition, two separate monographs give more details of British and Belgian awards to the AEF. And the Army award card set at NARA - St. Louis will have WW1 foreign awards filed by recipient name. For WW2 foreign awards to Americans, the situation is very sketchy. I know only of the Belgian awards summary published in the book "Belgium Rembers & Honors the U.S. Armies of Liberation."

 

Tom: I need a copy of your monograph! I didn't know that it was out there! :thumbsup:

 

A really good reference for foreign awards is the Cullum Register of USMA Graduates. These predate the "current" register...I think the last official "Cullum" was done in the 1950s. These list every foreign award the recipient listed on their response cards at the Alumni Association. Some are very complete listings, others aren't as complete, but as a whole, it's a great reference work. I used the 1954 copy I had to track down surviving USMA grads who had received Soviet awards for my article. Now talk about a challenge!

 

Dave

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  • 2 years later...
  • 7 years later...
Salvage Sailor

I've had this one for quite awhile which belonged to a career USN Submarine sailor who was a COB & Force Master Chief for COMSUBPAC.

 

He held several in-country staff positions as a VNN advisor and at COMNAVFORV which resulted in several VNN awards.

 

Republic of Vietnam Staff Service Medal first class

Republic of Vietnam Technical Service Honors Medal second class

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Emblem with Palm and Frame (unit award)

Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Medal (unit citation)

 

 

Jerry Jacks 009.jpg

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I've had this one for quite awhile which belonged to a career USN Submarine sailor who was a COB & Force Master Chief for COMSUBPAC.

 

He held several in-country staff positions as a VNN advisor and at COMNAVFORV which resulted in several VNN awards.

 

Republic of Vietnam Staff Service Medal first class

Republic of Vietnam Technical Service Honors Medal second class

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Emblem with Palm and Frame (unit award)

Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Medal (unit citation)

 

 

 

Can you explain the corn on the COB pin? Not being a Navy guy I have no idea what it is or what it's for.

 

Kevin

 

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Salvage Sailor

 

Can you explain the corn on the COB pin? Not being a Navy guy I have no idea what it is or what it's for.

 

Kevin

 

 

 

COB = Chief of the Boat - Senior enlisted man onboard of a Submarine. In charge of all enlisted men, watch station assignments, rack assignments, cranking assignments, head of the Chief Petty Officer’s mess (Goat Locker) and about a million other things. Generally, they are crusty, profane, wise to the ways of men and submarines and they dispense advice and/or rump-chewings in equal measure. The COB can make or break the boat.

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