Hugh

An interesting thread. When I was in country ('69 - '70), Ben Het and Dak To were taking a beating on a regular basis, especially the Special Forces camps. On the other hand, II Corps was called the Peace Corps, although Nha Trang must have been a VC training camp for their rocket forces. They'd fire a few rounds every few weeks, and I think if they managed to hit the air field, they were considered successful graduates.

Lot of familiar place names in this one.

Hugh

It could be Hungarian, Kevin.

"Dulce et decorum..." It is sweet and appropriate to die for one's country.

scottplen

What you have is a nice original Navy GCM, with the engraving typical of this period. As to the information on the reverse;

CSC means Continuous Service Certificate. It is not a rank (or rate, to be correct for the Navy). The number after CSC is his CSC number. The CSC was a real certificate issued to sailors who applied for Continuous Service. Every ship or station where they served was listed, all re-enlistments shown, general health data, etc. Much like a modern service records jacket.The idea started in the Royal Navy and was adopted by the US Navy about 1870 as a reward for good behavior. Being a CS sailor gave you special privileges including the right to take time off between re-enlistments and to be paid for it. A radical idea in the civilian world, but it was a method to try to keep experienced sailors in the service. It also had responsibilities, as bad conduct, desertion, and other negative behavior could cause you to lose those privileges. The CSC was NOT a serial number or service number as we know it today, and is next to useless as a research tool. However there is usually a service file on most of these guys and you should be able to get it.

The sailor's name is obvious.

The USS Connecticut was an early US battleship and her history can be easily found on the danfs website (Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships). She was one of the ships that made up the Great White Fleet on their around-the-world cruise, if my memory serves.

The date December 9, 1910 is the date that Harry Weener completed his enlistment.

A nice gift, well worth taking the time to research.

FireMedals

Nice input, FireMedals! While CSC is indeed the abbreviation for Chief Commissary Steward, it appears irrevalent to this inscription. Unusual not to mention the man's rate / rating, at least in later days.

I'll let others reply to the Great White Fleet question, but your man is a Commisryman (known in those days as a Commissary Steward, or informally as a stewburner). He's a Chief Petty Officer (E-7).

I believe this is Manchukan, but can't find reference on it.

What is it, and is it real?

Thanks for your help

It's the Order of the Pillars of State or Chu Kuo Chang, instituted by Imperial Edict 142 dated 14 September 1936 . Can't tell from the picture, but it looks as though it's all silver which would make it 6th - 8th Class. Specific class is distinguished by three, two or one silver bars on the ribbon, which appear to be missing. Otherwise, looks reasonably credible to me.

Megan,

You're a treasure!

Hugh

Looks like warlord stuff to me. Early 20th century.

To amplify HUgh's comments, it was issued for the 5 May 1950 coronation of Bhumibol, the current king (Rama IX) and now the longest reigning monarch in the world.

Thanks for the supplement, Jeff. I couldn't remember the date, and my book is almost all in Thai.

Hugh

Thailand - Coronation Medal - Should be silver.

Hugh

By he way, ribbon is correct.

Here is the reverse.

Thanks again for any help you can give me.

Cheers

Brian

Thailand - Coronation Medal - Should be silver.

Hugh

All ranks can get these

The DSO is given for leadership only (non-combat related), the DSO is open to all ranks

Gone are the MM, DCM, DFM, AFM, DSM, CGM

There are no more officer only or enlisted only awards

This is Pvt Michelle Norris - RAMC who won the MC in Iraq, she is a medic

Nice change, probably overdue.

Hi Hugh, As a result of the 1993 Review of gallantry awards and resultant changes to the operational gallantry award system, the Military Cross was made available to both officers and other ranks, the Military Medal was discontinued.

Geoff.

Thanks, Geoff, Any data on possible similar changes to DSC, DSO, DFC, AFC?

The following article from BBC discusses award of the MC to other ranks. I was unaware that criteria had been expanded from the officers-only approach. When did this happen. Is it also true for the DSC, DSO, DFC, AFC? And what does that mean for the MM?

Best,

Hugh

Gallantry medals for Scots troops Donald Campbell helped shore up a ditch under heavy fireA Scottish soldier is to receive the second highest award for gallantry for his actions in Afghanistan.

L/Cpl Donald Campbell from South Uist drove a tractor into an enemy zone while under fire to shore up a ditch, allowing his colleagues to cross.

He will be awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for his bravery.

Lance Bombardier Michael Frew, from Dundee, will also be honoured with a Military Cross after saving the lives of his fellow troops in Afghanistan.

The 26-year-old father-of-two sprinted across a bridge, which the Army described as a "killing zone," to take on the enemy and allow his team to pass.

L/Cpl Campbell, 26, from the Royal Engineers said: "I was very shocked and very surprised at the award and still am.

"I come from the island of South Uist and when I phoned my mum, I don't think she really knew what it was about.

"I was driving a front-loader, a big civilian tractor with a load of fascines in the bucket and I drove forward under fire to the ditch, but before I could unload, I had to jump out and cut the bindings, the Taliban were shooting, then I had to get back under cover.

"At the time I knew that it was something that had to be done and I just thought that it was a good idea."

Michael Frew ran across a bridge to hold the enemy back

Lance Bombardier Frew said he was shocked when he heard about the award but was looking forward to receiving it from the Queen later in the year.

"I had no idea why the Commanding Officer had called me in," he said.

"I was very surprised and was not expecting it.

"My parents were really chuffed when I told them about the award, they said well done. My wife Victoria was really pleased as well."

Bombardier Paul Greenwood, who is a colleague of Lance Bombardier Frew in the Highland Gunners, will also be receiving a Military Cross. He ran through a torrent of enemy fire to collect essential ammunition while he was supporting the Afghan National Army.

I agree the state crest is more like ECUADOR's.

Ye Great Blue Wuzzit must be a version of the Andean condor, which doesn't help much, being generic thereabouts.

But the marshland with snowy mountains I betcha will turn out to be Ecuador.

With the greatest respect to Rick, I don't think this is the national emblem of Ecuador, Colombia or Venezuela, and I don't recognize it as belonging to Brazil, Peru or Argentina. I specifically said national emblem, as it might be a service specific emblem. In any case, looks like naval aviation.

Hugh

Ed,John's site is the only one I know about. I could do a post trying to list the different types (military,commerative,para-military) of Italian medals. Nobody would care. If anybody wanted to buy the books on Italian medals/badges they would spend almost $3,000 and learn to read Italian. But most of the good books are out of print anyway.In my experience most people want to identify the item and find out how much they can sell it for. Besides,there is a section for identification on this forum anyway. I posted a few items there but got no help. Rich A. in Pa.

"Nobody would care"? Au contraire, mon ami, at least one of us would be very interested in good documentation on Italian medals from Risorgimento up to the present. It would also be helpful, in view of the plethora of unofficial / semiofficial stuff, to have guidance on which were authorized for wear on the uniform.

And then, if you're feeling especially industrious, you could go back before unification to the different states.

Best,

Hugh

One american recive Montenegrin Obilich "For Bravery" Medal - General Pershing !

We mustn't forget the Montenegrin award to Jay Gatsby, courtesy of F. Scott Fitzgerald!

Best,

Hugh

While I had never thought of it in those terms, Tony, this might not be a bad parallel. Except: (1) the Indian "territorials" were basically the existing training battalions of Indian Army regiments (result of the infamous 1922 reorganization) or European/Anglo-Indian establishments and (2) it was awarded to the (all-volunteer) Indian Army troops for overseas service. Need to dig out the full regulations . . . .

I feel an article gestating . . . .

Hope you'll put your article in JOMSA.

Actually had a scan here of the group to N/902511 L/Nk. Nagina Singh, A.S.C. (M.T.). Apologies for naked medals, so many yet to reribbon!

Independence Medal 1947 - N/902511 L/NK. NAGINA SINGH, A.S.C.(M.T.)

Defence Medal - MTN/902511 SEP. NAGINA SINGH, R.I.A.S.C. (M.T.)

War Medal - MTN/902511 SEP. NAGINA SINGH, R.I.A.S.C. (M.T.)

Overseas Badge

Unofficial George VI Coronation Medal

Suspect he served in Iran or Iraq.

Just for clarification, Ed, I assume the badge was worn on mufti, and NOT on the uniform?

Best,

Hugh

Hugh - Good day mate .... I've got a ranking US Army officer in country who is prepared to give it a go and pop over to your shop and see what he can do. Please let me have the address as mentioned and also any requests that you may have. Let's see if we can kill 2 birds with 1 stone so to say. Anh ehp appreciated - fingers crossed.

Drew

I don't have a specific address or name, but if he walks out the main gate at Yongsan, down past the War Museum, there will be 3 - 4 shops on that side of the street, and 1 or 2 across the street and up the side street. Unless he speaks Korean, he'd do well to speak an interpreter with him. It might help if he went in uniform. I'm a retired O-6, and went in with a ROK Army colonel (both in civvies), and they didn't want to hear from us.

No specific requests from me, but I'd be curious to see whether they can get access to full size medals.

Best,

Hugh

Some other suggestions:

First three all by Byron Farwell:

1. Queen Victoria's Little Wars

2. Eminent Victorian Soldiers

3. Mr. Kipling's Army

4. Old Soldier Sahib - Private Frank Richards

5. Soldier Sahibs - Charles Allen

and so many others.

6. The Scramble for Africa - Thomas Pakenham

7. Can't remember the name (and can't find it tonight), but there's an exhaustive history of the British / German fighting in East Africa during World War I. Perhaps someone else will remember the name. It's fairly heavy going, but might be of special interest to you. I'll keep looking.

Some other suggestions:

First three all by Byron Farwell:

1. Queen Victoria's Little Wars

2. Eminent Victorian Soldiers

3. Mr. Kipling's Army

4. Old Soldier Sahib - Private Frank Richards

5. Soldier Sahibs - Charles Allen

and so many others.

For a little (a lot) more detail, see:

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/cn.html

and follow the links.

Anyway, back to the medal . . .

It does look familiar, back in the day when I was weaving (parts of) the M&E sales into the OMSA database (as Jeff suggested) . . . .

So, just to press the point, is the Manchuguo flag similar to or identical to the ROC # 1 flag?

Hugh

The reverse flags are for the pupper state Manchucko.

George

Didn't China itself have a similar flag before The Big One? Maybe before 1911 and the KMT takeover?

Hugh

Hello:

Can anyone "kinda" pinpoint when this was used (WW1, between wars,WW2, after)? When I got it the leather sweatband had been tacked in a couple of places with old glue so I took it off. Also, the top of the cap hinges to lie flat.

Thanks

Dave

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but the shape of the cap looks to me like a Brigade of Guards cap, not an artilleryman. Also the sharply angled brim. Any thoughts?

Hugh

Looks like a Japanese-made ribbon set for a petty officer. The maker wasn't real careful about the way the stars pointed but, as I recall, the Navy switched their regs on "2 points up" vs. "1 point up" in the 1940s.

Whoops, bonehead mistake ! Of course the red ribbon is the Navy Good Conduct Medal. Although I never got one, God knows I've seen enough of them.

With respect to the points on the stars, I'm sure Jeff is right, but we all know how careless the tailors are, and the stars had a nasty way of rotating after you'd worn them for a while.

Bottom line - Prize goes to Rick and the Ulsterman.