Mexican Border Service Watch Fob??

[1stDivVet]

A friend gave this to me a couple weeks ago. It was ID'ed by his family as his grandfather's Mexican Border Service medal, which I know it isn't. Nor is it the State of Ohio Mexican Border Service Medal. I believe it to be a watch fob by the shape of the loop. Anyone have anything sinilar or any information on this?? The original recipient was a 1st Sgt with the 4th Ohio (later 166th Inf.). Back has the Lord's Prayer in the center and is marked SCHWAABS & S. CO. MILWAUKEE. It appears to be a silver plated coper with brass center.

 

Fins...

[USMCR79]

What was his name, I've got a 166th Unit History

 

Bill

[1stDivVet]

What was his name, I've got a 166th Unit History

 

Bill

 

 

Me too.. LOL 2 copies if I can EVER find the other one that belonged to my cousin!!! This guy was Paul. C. Miller Sr. of Cardington, Oh. He was with with Co. A IIRC and later transfered out as a Sgt. to the 75th Inf.(don't know what division that was or why he was transfered tho.)

 

Fins..

[USMCR79]

Could not find him in "Ohio in the Rainbow", he did not have a Mexican Border medal issued to him (at least before 1925)

 

Bill

[1stDivVet]

He's under the "Transfered" section for Co. A, listed as a Sgt. P. 392. Also listed in the Rainbow Division Roster on P. 297 as 1st Sgt. From what I have found for him, he enlisted 2 June, 1916, and was transfered 3 Dec. 1918. Became 1st Sgt. 26, July 1917, and reduced to Sgt. 16 Mar, 1918. He was with the Rainbow for most the major battles, leaving the AEF 20, Aug. 1918. He transfered to the 75th Inf., Co. I and was discharged 4 Feb, 1919. I thought I saw a Mex Border Service Medal planchet at one time in a tin of stuff my buddy has of his father's, uncle's, and grand-father's. I could be mistaken tho and saw this and just confused it. I don't have my cousin's US or state medals from the border either, so maybe they never applied for them

 

Fins..

[JBFloyd]

Schwaabs was one of the big manufacturers of these private purchase fobs (Stratton of Chattanooga was another). This style is one of the more common ones you see. They started life on black leather straps. These were sold to troops along the Mexican Border as souvenirs and often were the only things "medallic" the veterans had when they came home. The citay and state medals usually came along much later and many vets never got them anyway.

[River Rat 1]

Nice watch fob.Those type of fobs were what I kind of call the working mans fob.They came with advertisements,military like yours,company logos,even schools like colleges,I even have one from buffalo bills wild west show.They would put a leather strap on the fob and hook it up to the pocket watch so you would have the watch in your pocket and grab hold of the fob and pull the watch out of your pocket so you don't drop it.Here is a photo of a few fobs on a few pocket watches I got to see how it was used.And nice work on finding info on the original owner of your fob.