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Purple Heart Dating


Robswashashore
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Robswashashore

Am I correct that...

Due to the fact that the government made up so many Purple Hearts that they ended up not needing for the long-anticipated but abruptly-and-thankfully-cancelled Invasion of Japan (and many of us are probably here today because our dads' weren't "invited,")...

Purple Hearts with the late WWII style slot broach were on hand well into the Viet Nam era, and therefore...

A PH with the crimp broach would most probably be from at least well into the 80's?

 

Inquiring minds want to know...(The information I have managed to gather on the internet leads me to this conclusion).

 

Thanks!

 

Jean

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Am I correct that...

Due to the fact that the government made up so many Purple Hearts that they ended up not needing for the long-anticipated but abruptly-and-thankfully-cancelled Invasion of Japan (and many of us are probably here today because our dads' weren't "invited,")...

Purple Hearts with the late WWII style slot broach were on hand well into the Viet Nam era, and therefore...

A PH with the crimp broach would most probably be from at least well into the 80's?

 

Inquiring minds want to know...(The information I have managed to gather on the internet leads me to this conclusion).

 

Thanks!

 

Jean

 

 

Jean,

While a crimp brooch will normally indicate that a medal was produced post WWII, it is not a 100% true statement that all medals that have a crimp brooch ribbon are post WWII. Obviously, the WWII Campaign medals were made with crimp brooches (though there were a few made with slot brooches) and some of the eraly crimp brooches used slot brooches as the base material and then had the "crimp" added to secure the ribbon without sewing.

 

You are correct that HUGE numbers of Purple Heart medals were ordered in anticipation of the invasion of the Japanese mainland, which turned out to be unneeded which left stockpiles of medals which have still not been completely consumed. There have however been at least two contract runs of Purple Heart medals after WWII. Additionally, many surviving examples of World War II manufactured medals have been "reworked" to replace the old slot brooches with crimp brooch medals. In these instances, a contractor pulled off the old ribbons and brooches and replaced them with brand new ribbons and crimp brooches.

 

A very close friend of mine received a Silver Star medal for valor in Iraq. His Silver Star medal is numbered on one of the arms, but the ribbon is brand new. I have laso seen numbered Purple Heart medals, complete with new ribbons and crimp brooches. So, in a nutshell, you can't rightfully conclude that a medal with a crimp brooch is definitely post WWII manufacture.

 

Allan

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Robswashashore

Thank you Allan --

Frankly the reason I am asking is that I recently purchased an Ike from an Antiques dealer which looked to me like one of those "Oh here's a pretty medal, let's stick that on the jacket!" ensembles. The Ike was WWII, had a WWII GCM and EAME (with slot broaches...) as well as the corresponding ribbons (four campaign stars and Wolf Brown). Over on the other side it sported a PUC with OLC (looks old with a pin-back) and a crimped PH (not numbered). No SSI left on the Ike. Having read the recent thread about how to really alienate an antiques dealer by showing off your knowledge of militaria, I kept my suspicions and my very LIMITED knowledge to myself. Just don't think the original owner of the Ike had that PH, do you?

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militarymodels
While a crimp brooch will normally indicate that a medal was produced post WWII, it is not a 100% true statement that all medals that have a crimp brooch ribbon are post WWII. Obviously, the WWII Campaign medals were made with crimp brooches (though there were a few made with slot brooches) and some of the eraly crimp brooches used slot brooches as the base material and then had the "crimp" added to secure the ribbon without sewing.

 

The campaign ribbons were awarded and issued only as ribbons during WW2. However, the full size Campaign medals to go with the ribbons were authorized and produced after WW2 starting in 1947. Those campaing medals with slot broaches or crimped with slot broaches were re-used from the left over WW2 materials. Indeed, all medals that have a crimp broach are post WW2.

Regards,

Lonny

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The campaign ribbons were awarded and issued only as ribbons during WW2. However, the full size Campaign medals to go with the ribbons were authorized and produced after WW2 starting in 1947. Those campaing medals with slot broaches or crimped with slot broaches were re-used from the left over WW2 materials. Indeed, all medals that have a crimp broach are post WW2.

Regards,

Lonny

 

 

That is my understanding as well. And as mentioned, there are slot-brooched post-WWII medals as well. Just look at the USAF Good Conduct Medal of 1963 and you will see quite a few with slot brooches. Remember, these are the exception and NOT the norm.

 

-Ski

post-3043-1296508262.jpg

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  • 7 months later...
The campaign ribbons were awarded and issued only as ribbons during WW2. However, the full size Campaign medals to go with the ribbons were authorized and produced after WW2 starting in 1947. Those campaing medals with slot broaches or crimped with slot broaches were re-used from the left over WW2 materials. Indeed, all medals that have a crimp broach are post WW2.

Regards,

Lonny

 

Perhaps not all. When my father returned to Morrison Fld, FL from India in Oct 45, he received his Air Medal and other awards. The Air Medal was in the standard WW2 titled Arrow case (most of you call it a coffin case) and it had a crimp brooch. I suppose it could have been hot off the production line but I'm guessing it was made well before the Japanese surrender.

 

Jim

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Perhaps not all. When my father returned to Morrison Fld, FL from India in Oct 45, he received his Air Medal and other awards. The Air Medal was in the standard WW2 titled Arrow case (most of you call it a coffin case) and it had a crimp brooch. I suppose it could have been hot off the production line but I'm guessing it was made well before the Japanese surrender.

 

Jim

 

 

Jim,

Just t obe sure I understand what you are saying here. You meantion an "Arrow" case. If the case was indeed, WWII vintage, it would havee a dark blue leatherette cover and would say "Air Medal" on the lid. How would anyone know who manufactured it?

 

In the 1960's, the Arrow Company began to produce a "plush" case for the government. The blue leatherette is a lighter shade of blue than the WWII variety cases and the velvet covered pad that the medal rests upon is removable. When you remove this pad, you see the name "ARROW" in raised letters below. If you have this type of case with a crimp brooch medal, I would suspect that Daddy got a replacement medal in the 1970's as there is no way one of these would have been available in 1945.

 

As an aside, I know a Vietnam helicopter pilot who earned a large number of Air Medals. In his holdings he has a wrap brooch piece and a number of slot brooch medals- all were awarded to him. No, additional awards of medals didn't always come in the form of an oakleaf cluster at award ceremonies, medals were often pinned on the recipient even after multiple awards. Whether the Personnel officer tried to take the actual medal back after the ceremony was something that differed from command to command.

 

Allan

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To add to Allans excellent expalnation in post #2 I have owned several WW2 Purple Hearts and Silver Stars that came out of storage after Desert Storm.There was a medals dealer who would come to the military shows here and was from texas.He offered both medals for sale in lots of 5.You could mix or match PHs or SSs...5 for $100.He said these were sold off after Desert Storm as they were brought out of storage with the anticipation of being issued for the conflict.When it ended so quickly there wasnt a need for the medals so they were sold off.All were WW2 era medals.Most all I owned had a small square piece of foam in the case to protect the medal and all the Silver Stars had cards in them for the reciepiant to return for engraving.The card was dated 1968 or 1969.I still have a couple examples.Even have one numbered Silver Star as Allan mentioned.

 

RD

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Jim,

Just t obe sure I understand what you are saying here. You meantion an "Arrow" case. If the case was indeed, WWII vintage, it would havee a dark blue leatherette cover and would say "Air Medal" on the lid. How would anyone know who manufactured it?

 

In the 1960's, the Arrow Company began to produce a "plush" case for the government. The blue leatherette is a lighter shade of blue than the WWII variety cases and the velvet covered pad that the medal rests upon is removable. When you remove this pad, you see the name "ARROW" in raised letters below. If you have this type of case with a crimp brooch medal, I would suspect that Daddy got a replacement medal in the 1970's as there is no way one of these would have been available in 1945.

 

As an aside, I know a Vietnam helicopter pilot who earned a large number of Air Medals. In his holdings he has a wrap brooch piece and a number of slot brooch medals- all were awarded to him. No, additional awards of medals didn't always come in the form of an oakleaf cluster at award ceremonies, medals were often pinned on the recipient even after multiple awards. Whether the Personnel officer tried to take the actual medal back after the ceremony was something that differed from command to command.

 

Allan

 

Allan,

 

The WW2 cases weren't manf marked like the the one's from the 60's. If I remember correctly, Arrow had the contract to supply cases to the Army in the 40's to replace the small blue boxes. The small domed boxes that the Navy used until later in war are the ones Stranberg identifies as the original "coffin" cases. There was an article in the "Medal Collector" several years ago describing these early Arrow cases. The one I have is the standard WW2 blue leather case with Air Medal printed on top and the gold border. I'll have to check but I believe it's the later metal version. His Air Medal is not a 70's replacement as I played with in the 50's!

 

Jim

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