Just a question as to when the one-piece multiple star device for ribbons was first used / authorized? I can't recall ever seeing them on WWII era awards, but could be wrong. Is this a more modern thing, or were they used prior to Vietnam and Korea?

 

The ribbon rack above has a one-piece 3-Star device on the PUC, but two seperate bronze stars on the SMCR medal. The Purple Heart has two separate gold stars as well. Any help in figuring out when the one-piece star devices came out would be greatly appreciated.

More to the point, is this ribbon bar likely an original WWII (or just after) ribbon, or 1960's at the earliest?

I can't put a precise date to their use, but it was after Vietnam. I remember them from about 1980 or so.

Excluding the PUC, I'd put this ribbon set to the late 1960's or early 1970's, the ribbon set represents 5 to 6 years of active duty, and 12+ years of reserve service, what is of concern is not what's there, but what's not there. Nearly all the Marine Reserves were called up for Korea and there should at a minimum be a National Defense medal there also.

 

Also, 3 PUC's for only one campaign?, not possible

 

Bill

The Marine who's ribbons these are purported to be was a Colonel with 3rd BN, 25th Marines in World War II, and the 3 stars on the PUC are correct to him, as are the other awards. What throws me is that he didn't serve past 1946, and died in the early 1980s, but the ribbons (on a khaki Vandegrift jacket) appear to be much later than that. I'm ready to say rather conclusively that this set of ribbons did not belong to him.

As a side note to muddy the waters some more, Colonel Gleim found what turned out to be a very premature notice about multiple Oakleaf Clusters to be mounted on a clasp. This clasp was intended just for the medal. Ribbon bars were to have individual OLCs attached. The sketch and brief notice appeared in a November 1943 bulletin originating from the 381st Bomb. Group, 8th Air Force. See The Gleim Medal Letters, Extract E7 on page 100 for more detail.

 

Some other wartime innovations did appear on Navy medal ribbons during 1943-44, but were short-lived. The blue participant star on the Navy/Marine PUC, and the numerals on the area campaign ribbons come to mind. These two devices have been discussed in previous Forum threads.

What do the backs of the ribbons look like? The "V" device and gold stars look like the older versions. Guess I wouldn't write it off without some additional analysis...