Campaign Numerals on WW2 Navy Ribbon Bars

[Tom Nier]

Attached are scans of three separate WW2 Navy ribbon bars, each fitted with campaign numerals. They are all half-inch wide pinbacks. These numerals were short-lived in 1943, and so are quite rare to find today. The purpose and scope of these numerals was discussed in the Gleim Medal Letters, Extract E34 on page 116-117. Also, Lonny Borts wrote an in-depth article including this subject, in the January-February 2009 issue of Journal OMSA.

 

Only the top ribbon bar with a "2" on the American & EAME ribbons is attributed. It belonged to an Aviation Radioman flying aboard an Avenger with VC-9 assigned to the USS Card & later the USS Solomons. On 15 June 1944, he was lost when his plane was shot down while attacking the German submarine U-860. He had flown combat patrols on both sides of the mid-Atlantic boundary line between the American & European theaters. This duty had apparently earned both his "2" numerals before he was KIA.

 

Do any Forum members have other examples of these WW2 Navy numerals?? Has anyone seen a numeral "3"???

[Rakkasan187]

This is my only example in my collection. I think I have had this over 25 years. This was one of my first ribbon bars that I got as a kid. As you can clearly see the large Numeral 5 on the Large size European African Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon. Unfortunately the other ribbons had devices but they were not there at time of purchase. But there is evidence of other devices on the American Campaign and the highly faded Asiatic Pacific Ribbon. The numeral 5 is attached by brown thread and it appears from the back of the ribbon bar, the same goes for the other two ribbons. There appears to be brown string residue on the back of the bar. Maybe after so many years it just disintegrated.

 

There was no information about this ribbon bar, but I would like to know how high the numbers went for this period of time..

 

Any comments???

 

Leigh....

 

front of the ribbon bar with the large numeral 5

 

back side of the ribbon bar. Closer details show thread residue.

[siling]

"You have killed my"! I did not see such designations else. If there was legally legitimate? When? Where? Jack

[doyler]

I have a numbered bar with a 1 on it.Came in a KIA group to a Navy Hellcat pilot who flew in Fighting Squadron 22.He was on3 different carriers and served in both the Atlantic and Pacific.

 

I was just think I should post this and ask about the numerals use.Nice to see all the great examples.

 

RON

[MPage]

The purpose and scope of these numerals was discussed in the Gleim Medal Letters, Extract E34 on page 116-117. Also, Lonny Borts wrote an in-depth article including this subject, in the January-February 2009 issue of Journal OMSA.

 

Do you have either one of those?

[Got da Penny]

Thanks to fellow members, I can post mine to this thread also.

 

 

 

 

 

Carey

[teufelhunde.ret]

USMC - Good Conduct

[Josh B.]

Because of this thread, I knew to not pass this one by after recently stumbling upon it. Thanks again Tom! BTW, this is a 3/8ths inch width ribbon...

 

Josh

[Josh B.]

Ribbon reverse

[firefighter]

Never seen a campaign ribbon with a number on it.Does anybody have a campaign ribbon, other than WW2, with a number on it? Interesting.

[Tom Nier]

Attached is my table with the original six WW2 campaigns that were eligible for numerals on the theater ribbon bars, in the left column. The two right side columns indicate their conversion into the final WW2 campaign series for which only battle stars were authorized. This indicates that the EAME ribbon bar should not have more than a "1" numeral. However, theater commanders must have expanded the list of actions that merited numerals. Attached also is a page from a sailor's CSC book (provided by Skip Pfeiffer) that authorized numerals for "Escort" & "Anti-submarine" duty in both the American & Asiatic-Pacific theaters. One begins to realize how much confusion & problems that arose from the Navy's brief use of campaign numerals. With so many more serious war-time concerns in hand, it is understandable why the Navy soon cancelled the numeral program.

[KASTAUFFER]

Tom

 

Here are some examples I found at the show of shows

 

Kurt

 

[ww2relichunter]

wow i have never heard of or seen these before these are very interesting !! ALways learning on this forum

[KASTAUFFER]

one more for good measure. This belonged to a sailor from the USS San Francisco.

 

 

[0811gysgt]

SK1C Alvin D. DUGAN USNR USS Ben Franklin WIA

[KASTAUFFER]

Nice group Rocco!

[0811gysgt]

Nice group Rocco!

 

Thank You Kurt.

 

It is not a named Purple Heart, but it is from a historic Ship.

[minesweeper]

From the uniform given to me by the owner - USS Lexington (CV-16)

[KASTAUFFER]

Here is one I picked up to a Pearl Harbor survivor from the USS MacDonough

 

[Dave]

The reason I chose the photo I did for page 58 in my book, Blue Seas, Red Stars, was because it was a superb example of numerical devices being worn on the ribbons. However, when the book got published, the photo became too small to notice them. Darn! Anyway, I'll screen shot it and post it up here...(it has some nice examples of black widow Navy Crosses, long PUC ribbons, and bullion wings too!)

[USMCR79]

Basilone wearing a star and numeral

 

Bill

[Wharfmaster]

^