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Identifying These Medals

Discussion in 'Military Service Records & Genealogical Research' started by ghost_of_war, Apr 8, 2010.

  1. ghost_of_war

    ghost_of_war Member

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    Trying to identify these medals my grandfather passed down to me a while back. I know he drove an LVT during the invasions of Leyte and Okinawa and obviously saw a lot of action. He's still with us at 90 years old, but his memory is failing and he cannot remember what each one represented. Hoping you all can shed some light on it... sorry for poor picture quality.
     
  2. ghost_of_war

    ghost_of_war Member

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  3. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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    Here's a quick answer for some:
    PHOTO 1
    Top Row:
    Right hand ribbon is the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon with 2 Battle Stars and 1 Amphibious invasion arrowhead

    Middle Row;
    Right hand ribbon is the Good Conduct Award

    Bottom Row:
    Left hand ribbon is the American Defense Ribbon, Right hand is another Asiatic-Pacific Award

    On the right side is a Sharpshooter Award, but I can't make out what he qualified in.

    You can check this site for the qualifications for each ribbon Service, Campaign and Foreign Awards

    The other awards are a bit too fuzzy and off color for my old eyes. Hope this helps.

    In PHOTO 2
    The matched pins are Distinctive Unit Insignia. I can't make out what it says, but you can search here to find it Distinctive Unit Insignia DIs Over 1,000 to choose from
    There are also a Good Conduct Medal and the Ribbon that goes with it. The other ribbon is the World War 2 Victory Ribbon.
     
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  4. R Leonard

    R Leonard Member

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    Repeating a lot of what Lou has written, I’d note that in the first picture, your ribbons are upside down and are backwards in order. The three ribbon bar would have appeared below the two ribbon bar in the middle and both of them need to be reversed in order.

    So, for the two ribbon bar, the red ribbon with the three white stripes on either end, a Good Conduct ribbon, would be on the left and the blue one with the stripes, an American Campaign ribbon would be on the right.

    The three ribbon bar would be below the two ribbon bar. Its order also needs to be reversed. So, the yellow with stripes and devices, the Asian-Pacific Campaign ribbon, would be on the left - the devices are an arrowhead for participation in a campaign and an combat landing and two stars for additional campaigns [not necessarily combat landings], thus he has awards for a total of four separate campaigns (the ribbon, one, and the devices, two, three, & four).

    I, too, cannot make out the center ribbon as it is too blurry it does appear to have some devices attached. The next ribbon would be on the right of the bar and is the Philippine Liberation ribbon with two award stars, thus three separate campaigns in the Philippines. That makes sense if he participated in three campaigns in the Philippines plus at Okinawa, makes the count on the Asian-Pacific Campaign ribbon work out correctly. A nifty little double-check.

    The two on the bottom are apparently extra's of those on the ribbon bars; they are not additional awards.
     
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  5. ghost_of_war

    ghost_of_war Member

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    Awesome - thanks for all the feedback, guys....
     
  6. ghost_of_war

    ghost_of_war Member

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    By the way, the sharpshooter badge has 3 emblems - one says MACHINE GUN, the other SUB MACHINE GUN and the other RIFLE.
     
  7. formerjughead

    formerjughead The Cooler King

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    Top To bottom left to right in the first picture:

    Phillipine Liberation Medal with 2 Campaign Stars, WW2 Victory Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

    (Philippine Liberation Medal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_Victory_Medal_(United_States)
    (Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)


    American Campaign Medal, Army good Conduct Medal
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    (American Campaign Medal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
    (Good Conduct Medal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

    The others are correct about the devices and order of precedence

    Brad
     
  8. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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    That means he qualified on all three weapons. The three levels were Marksman, Sharpshooter, and Expert.
     
  9. ghost_of_war

    ghost_of_war Member

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    I believe so! Thank you, all!
     
  10. d. Gaddie

    d. Gaddie Member

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    I was really glad to see your post. My Dad has a lot of the same medals and ribbons and the information you received has helped me identify ones I have, My Dad was in the Signal Corp . He was in New Guinea and the Philippines. He got his training at Camp Crowder in Missouri. Just wondered if your Grandfather trained there. I have two medals which are like the Sharpshooter medal you showed. The one medal shows Iron Cross at top and has four bars, Marksman, Carbine, Hand Grenade and Rifle. The other has an Iron Cross with wreath around it and the bars say Expert. Carbine and Sub Machine. I am trying to find my Dad's Company and Unit. Unfortunately his military records burned in the fire of 1973. dg
     
  11. ghost_of_war

    ghost_of_war Member

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    Sorry the records were lost.... maybe DC has some records on him?
     
  12. d. Gaddie

    d. Gaddie Member

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    Could you tell me what DC stands for? I wrote National Archives in St. Louis and have talked with them several times on phone. They did suggest I write U.S. Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle. Pa. Thanks.dg
     
  13. ghost_of_war

    ghost_of_war Member

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    Washington DC
     

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