……and they cut up a brass 90 mm casing, by 1945, most were made of lacquered steel.

Very nice. Someone put a lot of time into it.

Actually that is not accurate, they all dropped to a 1 year requirement, and if someone was wounded it was awarded without regard to time.   The criteria was amended by Executive Order 9323, dated 31 March 1943, to authorize award for three years service after 7 December 1941, or one (1) year service while the United States is at war.   https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-9323-amendment-executive-order-no-8809-june-28-1941-establishing-the-good   Yes, if you met the criteria it was yours.   This is what I believe his ribbon bar should look like, unless he did not qualify because the one year period of war ended on 2 September 1945, and he began his service on 9 January 1945, but I doubt that.  My understanding was that the awarding of the Pacific Campaign Medal fell under the title "war" and that ended on 2 March 1946, did the Occupation period also qualify under "war"?    

Can you return it?

In the Army only - The Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard kept the pre war standards of 4 years.  

Navy distinguished public service medal

If his conduct was not good then he may not have earned the GCM. Just saying. 

380

To be honest I like the trailer for my Sammy better. It's a 1963 USMC equipment hauler. Its the first and only time the military used a torsion suspension system. No leaf springs. It has its data plates, but it took me a long time to find out anything about it. It had a short production run. I had to go to a military vehicle collectors site and ask for help with this, They mounted generators, air compressors and water pumps on them. I have only seen a handful a few guys have found.  I built the box and mounted it to the frame.

He served on active duty from 9 January 1945 until 4 July 1946, so about 1.5 years.  Was award of the GCM automatic?  Not sure I would feel right including it - none of my other relatives who served more than a year had a GCM on their record.