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Numbering & naming on US medals.


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Is there any reason why I have 2 numbered Silver Star medals one is a wrap brooch and other is slot brooch, the wrap brooch I assumed would be the older of the 2 yet it has a lower number on it. Any suggestions....Thanks Joe

 

Remember that the numbers were simply the company's method of tracking production so if a different contract run starts, it doesn't necessarily relate to another prior companies number. History is just fortunate that it was done that way!

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  • 6 months later...

I thought this might be a great place to post these and get some info. I have never seen the first initial and last name engraving configuration before. Nor have I seen this cardboard style Air Medal box. This was acquired from an estate in Portland OR. Can anyone help me date this and tell me if the engraving style - initial and last name - is suggestive of a branch of service, or maybe symbolic of something else? This is a wrap brooch and appears WWII era to me. post-5831-0-43067900-1409711832.jpgpost-5831-0-59335800-1409711838.jpgThanks for any help!

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This style box was common in the 1960s-70s, often with the blue insert wrapped in plastic. The wrap brooch is unusual but not unknown for this period, but the manufacturer may have just used a few from old stock to fill a new order. There were wrap brooch awards still in the Air Force supply system well into the 1980s, and they're probably still there.

 

If you assume that this is an Air Force award, you have to realize that the Air Force has no standard naming style. Most naming is done at the base level, usually by a trophy shop with a machine-engraver. When I was at Lowry AFB, Denver, in 1971, the center commander directed that all decorations coming from Vietnam/Southeast Asia would be named. The personnel folks shipped only those awards off to a trophy shop (all others were unnamed). Mine came back with just my initials on it. Officially engraved by the issuing agency, but not what collectors want to see. [An editorial note: collectors are the only ones who get wrapped up in naming styles, brooch styles, etc. The services see this as an Air Medal with a federal stock number. There is no further break-out of the stock number for wrap brooch, slot brooch, crimp brooch, two-piece construction, etc.]

 

The initial/surname format is not unknown. I've had a few in this format and some in Surname/initial format. Those that I could track down traced back to National Guard awards.

 

The 1968 Air Force Register has a Bobby J. Benge and a Walter C. Benge, but no "L Benge". He could have been an NCO or in another service.

 

We still have lots to learn about Air Force awards.

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  • 7 months later...

I thought this might be a great place to post these and get some info. I have never seen the first initial and last name engraving configuration before. Nor have I seen this cardboard style Air Medal box. This was acquired from an estate in Portland OR. Can anyone help me date this and tell me if the engraving style - initial and last name - is suggestive of a branch of service, or maybe symbolic of something else? This is a wrap brooch and appears WWII era to me. attachicon.gif Air Medal box small.jpgattachicon.gif Air Medal engraving small.jpgThanks for any help!

Some medal

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235483-wwii-air-medal/

post-2376-0-82636900-1428864277.jpg

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As for the Air Force, whether a medal was engraved also had a lot to do with your rank -- meaning junior enlisted -- and the frequency of a certain medal being awarded, like a Commendation or Achievement Medal.

 

I've also seen local CBPOs -- at the commander's direction -- do things to make a decoration special. The last Commendation Meal I was awarded had a rosette in place of the medal lapel pin, all of the devices on the medal and ribbon, and a matching miniature medal in a full-sized case. This when the Air Force was moving to small plastic boxes.

 

Also during my career, I once received a Commendation Medal in a simple little blue cardboard box with only the medal and no other elements. I had never seen that before and was told it was for award in the field.

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  • 3 months later...

That type of engraving was done at "seperation centers" when the soldier was being discharged. It is circa 1945-46. It is most commonly see on Good Conduct medals.

 

The number on it is his Army Service Number (ASN)

 

Kurt

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  • 3 months later...

I have been sorting through the papers of Admiral John S. McCain, and came across a few interesting pieces that relate to the subject of discussion.

 

a. "Subject: Victory Medal and Escort Clasp. Navy Department, Bureau of Navigation, dated 1 December 1936. Para 3: "The Bureau authorizes you to have engraved upon the rim of this medal your name, rank, and the name of a vessel or station on which you served during the World War." Upon inspection of the medal, he did not choose to exercise this option.

 

b. "Subject: Award of campaign medal. Incloseure: Mexican Campaign Medal No. 16616. Para 3: For the purpose of identifi-cation this medal is marked with the number on the rim, which is recorded. The Bureau authorized you to also engrave on the rim of this medal your name, rank at that time, and the name of the vessel to which you were attached." His award is engraved "M No16616" with no other engraving. He has a second identical award, but numbered "16424" with no addition engraving.

 

c. Letter dated 26 April 1937.from Captain J. S. McCain to Frank Thomas, Ing. "Please prepare a campaign bar consisting of a Victory Medal ribbon and a Mexican War ribbon and forward same to me at Carrolton, Mississippi, % Mr. Luther Spencer. Will you kindly insure that the above order reaches me between 17 and 21 May, 1937." He wore this two-piece ribbon bar to the point the ribbons are fully worn.

 

d. Letter from Captain J. S. McCain to the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, dated August 27, 1940. "Subject: Medals presented to Captain J. S. McCain, U.S. Navy, by President of Peru. In the fall of 1937, during the visit of the U.S.S. Ranger, which ship I was commanding at that time, to Lima, Peru, I was presented with two decorations by the President of Peru. Has authority ever been secured for me to receive these decorations? If not, what is the prospect of such authority being granted?"

 

In response to this letter, Bureau of Navigation dated September 4, 1940, stated the following:

 

"1. Replying to reference (a), you are advised that your name is included in the Bill now pending in Congress to authorise the acceptance of such awards as may have been presented by foreign governments to officers and men of the Navy and Marine Corps.

 

2. The Congressional hearings have been completed and the Bill is now on the calender in the Senate. The House added an amendment providing: "That no medal tendered by a nation now at war shall be accepted by any officer while such country remains in a state of war."

 

Both of the above referenced awards, cased, were received by him. Note: spelling errors above are original to the text.

 

e. Purchase Order Brooks (Bros.?) dated Apr. 1 (no year entered) for "WINGS" at a cost of 3.48

 

His other awards consisted of the Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Medal (Navy) with two Gold Stars, National Defense Medal, American Campaign, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign with Invasion Arrow Head and three bronze stars, WWII Victory Medals plus his Aviator qualification wings. Not mentioned above is the posthumous award of the Order of the British Empire, Knights Commander. He was posthumously recognized with this award, award of the Distinguished Service Medal with second Gold Star, and promotion to the rank of full Admiral. As a matter of interest, He was to attend the surrender signing of the Japanese aboard the U.S.S. Missouri. He messaged Gen. MacArthur requesting that he not be required to attend as he was not feeling well. The reply from Gen. MacArthur was that he would attend the ceremonies. Vice Admiral McCain died of a heart attack five days after the signing ceremonies.

 

Jack Angolia

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  • 3 months later...
wartimecollectables.com

The link on the first post is not working for me. Just an FYI

 

THANKS! Updated link, don't know how to correct that first page.

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  • 2 months later...

Hello Military US Medal Collectors

 

I some help with a United Daughters of the Confederacy ~ WWI Cross of Military Service ~ Number 9031.

 

This is a nice clean wrapped brooch ribbon medal made by: Metallic Art Co. New York.

This is only the 2nd one ever owned.

 

If anyone out there can find out, The Veteran's Full Name and service who owned this medal, I would say Thank You for all your help!

 

Thank You for your time! Jonathan

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  • 1 year later...

This is my first post, so kindly bear with me if I have breached protocol or placed this in the wrong area. Any guidance is welcome. My question:

 

I have in my care an army Philippine Insurrection 1899 Medal. It has the serial number (no prefixes) "25196" stamped on the rim. Is it possible to determine to whom it was issued? Any assistance would be appreciated. Thank you.

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WittWorldWide.com

Unfortunately the answer is no, without a name 1st... "No." Prefixed (Not M.No.) Medals are researchable by number up to a point in the issue rolls. If you had a Name, it is sometimes possible to do the reverse, and find an issue slip, or notation, in the Service File of the Veteran that will confirm an attribution of a Non-Prefixed #d Medal.

 

This is more common with Early USN-USMC Campaign Medal Issues...

 

Is there anything else that came with this medal, that can give you a lead as to recipient's identify?

 

RW

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Ahoy Rich!

 

Its' great to hear from you. Thank you for putting your oar in the water.

 

The family from whom I received it thinks (and is re-checking) that it may have belonged to an ancester by the last name of Wolfordt - possibly Charles or Jacob/Jakob.

 

So nice to have as my "first at bat" responded to by an old friend.

 

all the best,

 

Tim G

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  • 1 year later...
wartimecollectables.com

Are the early BB&B numbered stars traceable?

No they are not. There are some small needle in a haystack lists, nothing published by number I am aware of.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
Gerradtgrant

I came across a air medal and usaaf distinguish flying cross named to the same gentleman. They are both named and numbered. The engraving style I would assume is privately done and not official issue. They both have his name, service number, nickname "the hump", and 1942-3 engraved on them. The air medal is numbered 5948 and the cross is numbered 6304. From what I can tell they are both WWII period medals and not reissued medals. Thoughts?Posted ImagePosted ImagePosted ImagePosted ImagePosted ImagePosted Image

 

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

 

 

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  • 2 years later...
On 12/30/2006 at 6:30 AM, wartimecollectables.com said:

I hope it's o.k. to post one of my links on this forum?

Here is a link to a page I created that shows examples of original naming and numbering on US medals. It's a work in progress and I add more as time permits.

CLICK HERE!

 

The link appears to be dead again. 

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  • 2 months later...

With respect to the naming on the DSC to Albert W. Klick, please note that he received two DSCs (one was presumably lost and the other was a replacement - not sure which came "first"). The two DSCs are 6807 and 2541. Hope this helps!

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