Lets see some US NAVY Good Conduct Medals !!

[easterneagle87]

On vacation and conned my daughter into taking dad junking. Such a great kid. Found this Navy Good Conduct Medal, named: Kenneth Lanham Moore, dated 1931. The additional service bar is dated 1940 and as a bonus has his name engraved on the back of it as well.

[jmar]

Hello all,

Many are familiar with the uncommon USN GCM Loxit Contract of 1911-1912 whose most noticeable trait is the bent wire planchet suspension bar. A full size example shown here.

But I stumbled upon this little anomaly…a mini with the same style wire suspension. Minis that I’ve seen in the past have either no suspension bar or the typical flat rectangular type. A fun little oddity!

Best wishes!

Joe

[katieony]

Another great addition to your collection!

[Sweazy21]

8 hours ago, jmar said:

Hello all,

Many are familiar with the uncommon USN GCM Loxit Contract of 1911-1912 whose most noticeable trait is the bent wire planchet suspension bar. A full size example shown here.

But I stumbled upon this little anomaly…a mini with the same style wire suspension. Minis that I’ve seen in the past have either no suspension bar or the typical flat rectangular type. A fun little oddity!

Best wishes!

Joe

Great example. It being a mule is also neat. I was underbid but had spaced the auction. 

[Sweazy21]

Good conduct i recently picked up. Although i have not identified him yet. What i found very interesting is its not what you would normally see on a 1930s good conduct. Typically its just name and year discharged.

For example: 

John

Doe

1934

 

This one first features his CSC number, which is in the 37k range. Suggesting pre ww1 enlistment. It also features the last station, in this case the airship  USS Macon. And finally years 1930-34. 
 

[easterneagle87]

This picture appeared on the Facebook page military collectibles dealer no deal. Sampson and GC medals on his breast. 

 

[skylog6]

He is wearing a Dewey medal, not a Sampson

[easterneagle87]

4 hours ago, skylog6 said:

He is wearing a Dewey medal, not a Sampson

 

Appreciate the correction.

[aerialbridge]

In post #306 that card is likely signed by "Hugo Kramer" (1872-1941, buried Bronx, NYC), who was the Coppersmith on USS Petrel.   Below are all the men with the first name "Hugo" who were awarded a Dewey Medal.   

 

Below are men of the USS Olympia marching in the Dewey Parade in NYC on September 30, 1899 after being presented their medals earlier that day.   You can see one of the CPOs wearing his Dewey with the GCM.  It's possibly CBM Patrick Murray (1859-1915, buried Baltimore, MD)  who was gun captain of the starboard #1 gun and fired the first shot of the battle.   When Murray retired in 1907 with 31 years service he had 7 GCM awards.  Murray was one of the first men of Dewey's squadron to receive the Dewey medal in June 1899 at the Navy Dept. in Washington.  He was one of a large contingent of Olympia sailors that transferred to USS Raleigh in December 1898, just before Raleigh returned to the US, arriving on April 15, 1899, the first ship of Dewey's squadron to return to the States.   When Olympia returned to the US in September 1898,  Murray was attached to the USS Richmond, receiving ship at Philadelphia, so given the pivotal role he played in the battle and his popularity among the crew and Dewey himself, it would be surprising if Murray didn't make the short trip to NYC to see his old shipmates and participate in the festivities.   You can judge for yourself if it appears to be Murray from the photo of him taken on the #1 gun aboard Olympia during the Battle of Manila Bay.   The warrant officer wearing the GAR Society medal is a mystery and does not match up to the extensively known information on the crew and officers of Olympia, only a few of whose service goes back to the Civil War.  I suspect he may have been from another ship. 

.

 

[aerialbridge]

Hugo Kramer would have qualified for award of a GCM after 6 years, so in 1899.  It jibes well with the cabinet photo.

 

Kramer Hugo -- [Service Number] 001031132, [Date of Enlistment] 08/08/1893

 

And to correct an error in my above post-  "When Olympia returned to the States in September 1899"  not 1898.  

For uniform collectors- note all the men, enlisted, CPO and officers marching in the Dewey Parade at NYC on 9/30/1899 are wearing dark-colored puttees (leggings).  

[easterneagle87]

There isn't a "Show your Coast Guard Good Conduct Medals", so I am adding this Coast Guard Good Conduct NAMED medal bar. Am very happy with this rack. 

Engraved, Named to: Ralph H. Browning, 5-9-49, Buttonwood.  

And this was his 5th GC award.

 

 

I fixed the bar and put it on top,

 

BUT ... did I do it wrong? As I just searched forum topics CG CG medals on the forum and saw this one posted by Will on topic "Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal Question" dated AUG 21, 2017, and the bar is in the same place before I moved it. 

   

 

Interesting about the USCGC Buttonwood (WAGL-306/WLB-306), per Wiki, was a Mesquite-class sea-going buoy tender operated by the United States Coast Guard. She served in World War II as well as a variety of domestic missions. After decommissioning she was acquired by the Dominican Republic Navy and renamed Almirante Didiez Burgos. She is still active as the flagship of the Dominican Navy.

 

This is a shot of the Buttonwood from 2000

[easterneagle87]

I got a good deal on some ryker cases this past fall and it has become time to start excavating. Here is what I have unearthed, labelled and cataloged so for. Most have been posted as single posts on this topic, but it is time to get them organized. Only one is un-named and just waiting to be swapped with a loose medallion. I think a pretty good start so far. I'm pretty sure there are a couple more tucked away and I'll find them eventually. Next step is to do one for my named Army GC's. Enjoy! and Merry Christmas!

 

[easterneagle87]

Here is one I recently got off of ebay. Not expensive made an offer. Looks Personally engraved. Not pretty, but interesting and nice. Maybe some day I'll marry it with a non-named drape.

J.M. Sweeney, 1948

 

[m1903]

On 10/27/2025 at 3:10 PM, Sweazy21 said:

Good conduct i recently picked up. Although i have not identified him yet. What i found very interesting is its not what you would normally see on a 1930s good conduct. Typically its just name and year discharged.

For example: 

John

Doe

1934

 

This one first features his CSC number, which is in the 37k range. Suggesting pre ww1 enlistment. It also features the last station, in this case the airship  USS Macon. And finally years 1930-34. 
 

I believe that would be the airship Macon.  Nice piece.