ChrisKelly

Sources: https://ianewatts.org/hawsepipe-documents/ https://ianewatts.org/seamans-identification-wallets/ https://ianewatts.org/irving-nachwalter/ [Images] https://ianewatts.org/anthony-j-morengo/

Not seen every day... Promotions to Commodore are rare. Sources: https://www.mtexpress.com/wood_river_journal/features/ketchum-sea-captain-calls-it-a-career/article_dfc14258-f9b2-11e8-b4e2-779031071782.html https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Maritime_Service Sources: http://edenatlantisproject.org/index.php/tag/bios/ https://www.seafarers.org/ammv-honors-u-s-merchant-mariners-on-veterans-day/

Adolf Hitler passing out his goldene parteiabzeichen is probably akin to what's in the video below.

The clasps were on the verge of becoming official, until changes and reductions in the regulations were completed. Nonetheless, they were produced, distributed/sold from/by commercial sources, and in many cases, mounted and worn. Unofficial or not, they're still neat. Some favorite images from the source I cited previously:

Source: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/merchant-marine-outstanding-1894894344 Source: https://ianewatts.org/usmma-federal-awards-2/

Glad I got that sorted out. Mea culpa.

I was curious about those two "commemorative medals", however, I have been unable to find any further information other than what "Shots Dave" provided... Except that, in spite of mysterious origins, these "awards" somehow command high two and sometimes low three figure prices on the collectors market. I am still mildly curious about their various origins. {e.g. Why would a guy with an M.B.E. and a 1939-1945 War Medal want or wear "fake medals"?} I did locate a collateral "thread" on GMIC:

Archduke Karl Ludwig Josef Maria of Austria (30 July 1833 – 19 May 1896) was the younger brother of both Franz Joseph I of Austria and Maximilian I of Mexico, and the father of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria (1863–1914), whose assassination ignited World War I. His grandson was the last emperor of Austria, Charles I. Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archduke_Karl_Ludwig_of_Austria

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/272503-miniature-clasps-to-british-war-medal/

Curious to know if anyone can identify the medals pictured, other than the M.B.E. and the 1939-1945 War Medal. Awards to Samuel Beaver King, 1926-2016, a Second World War R.A.F. veteran.

I bought this one. Much better close-ups below.