What are this Minister's awards?

[W McSwiggan]

Hey Rick - your eyes are better than mine in these things - what beside the St. John's at the throat is this guy wearing? Certainly has the look of British mounting but sources claim he's "all-American"

Edited August 28, 2005 by W McSwiggan

[Guest Rick Research]

Hmmm... you are correct, methinks.That certainly looks like the upper half of a BRITISH Order of Saint John-Knight of Justice and so our well decorated cleric is a Protestant.

A zoom in just next to the errr would help. LOTS of foreigns on the end. The mini bar MAY be (in order)

1) Bronze Star

2) Purple Heart (looks like purple ribbon)

3) Army Commendation Medal (green ribbon)

4) National Defense Service Medal (red ribbon)

5) Vietnam Service Medal (yellow ribbon with stars)

6)

7)

8)

9)

10)

11)

12)

13) Republic of Vietnam Service Medal/Star w/"1960-" device

if I have counted the microscopic blurs and smudges right

[Bob Hunter]

Strictly GI. Got a similar one in a drawer somewhere...

Formal miniatures which are worn customarily on mess dress and civilian formal attire as the good reverand is doing here provided, of course, in the lower left hand corner of the invitation the word "decorations" appears.

Edited August 28, 2005 by Bob Hunter

[Guest Rick Research]

"Court" mounted British style with an extra length of flat backing ribbon right down to behind the awards instead of all floppy jangly dangly??

That some new regulations, or a "diplomatic" affectation?

Here's 1980s "dangly" WW2 U.S. set (I think these are ugly with ribbons too long-- proportions would look better at 1:1 with the medal as if full size) I had for my late greatuncle Walter (KIA 1944) and my friend Garry's Australian Viet Nam "court" style:

[attachmentid=9326]

BTW Garry's last is also what I "see" as last on the Rev's bar.

[Bob Hunter]

I don't see that in the photo I'm looking at. What does it look like on RICKYVISION?

It's gotta clink to by US but then maybe we have US decorations mounted in the UK for whatever reason. Unlike full size medals miniatures are available almost anywhere a decent military tailor can be found.

Edited August 28, 2005 by Bob Hunter

[W McSwiggan]

Thanks all - unfortunately - the question was sent to me by a friend and this is the only image I have. When I zoom in I see the British style backings but the image is to blurred for me to be sure what I'm seeing beyond colors behind the gongs themselves. You've done well considering the input. Question - could the Purple Heart be an Air Medal?

[Bob Hunter]

The order of precedence has changed for the Purple Heart which now follows the Bronze Star so it could be either the Purple Heart or the Air Medal in that position.

I also have a problem with blurring under magnification. Squinting at medal number one and I'm not sure it's a Bronze Star given the disproportionate striping on the ribbon...but I don't have an alternative decoration.

Edited August 28, 2005 by Bob Hunter