JPL

In June, the High Court ruled that the Stolen Valor Act infringed on free speech – even if that speech was fraudulent and uttered by fake war heroes. (On Sept. 13, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a more narrowly focused version of the Stolen Valor Act that will allow criminal prosecutions against individuals who “knowingly” misrepresent their military service records “with the intent to obtain anything of value.”) Meanwhile, the Purple Heart market remains open for business. How do those cherished awards typically reach the storerooms of military memorabilia dealers? Medal peddlers often find them at yard sales, flea markets or on sites like Craigslist. Read the complete article: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/18/13931135-medal-peddlers-thriving-purple-heart-market-has-fans-and-foes Jean-Paul

Two and a half years after being killed in combat in Afghanistan, Senior Airman Bradley Smith was awarded the Silver Star Medal for gallantry in action Saturday in Troy, Illinois. "This silver star solidifies what I already knew about my husband and will serve as a reminder to all what a hero brad truly was both in the way he lived and died," says his wife Tiffany. He died when an IED went off while he was trying to save the life of another airman. He left behind a wife and infant daughter. Read the complete story and view the video: http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/337240/3/Fallen-Troy-IL-Airman-awarded-Silver-Star-Medal- Jean-Paul

France's Elysee Palace says former Beatle Paul McCartney has been decorated with the legion of honour for services to music. The presidential office said that seventy-year-old McCartney — who sang and co-wrote hits like "Hey Jude" and "Yesterday" — was decorated at the rank of officer by French President Francois Hollande at the Elysee Palace, with members of McCartney's family attending. Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/entertainment/ExBeatle+Paul+McCartney+decorated+with+French+legion+honour+award/7212088/story.html#ixzz25vzUhbWx Jean-Paul

Yet, another interesting story regarding a Canadian historian's obsession with the US Medal of Honor and Canadian recipients: Armstrong doesn’t have a U.S. Medal of Honor, but he has discovered many. The 63-year-old tirelessly researches forgotten recipients of the award – Canadians, or would-be Canadians, laid to rest often without recognition from their own country of the battles they fought in the U.S. Civil War. When Armstrong began his research 12 years ago, there were 54 known Canadian recipients of the Medal of Honor. His work has unearthed another 50. Read the complete article: http://www.vicnews.com/news/168017036.html Jean-Paul

Here is a link to the latest Honours Review Report: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-administration-select-committee/news/publication-of-honours-report2/ Jen-Paul

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė presented a state decoration conferred posthumously on former Russian President Boris Yeltsin to his widow Naina Yeltsin. Boris Yeltsin was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the Cross of Vytis for his personal contribution to strengthening Lithuanian statehood and promoting bilateral relations between Lithuania and Russia, informs BCpresidential press service. Read the complete article: http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/baltic_news/?doc=9744 Jean-Paul

I've found another news item showing what the medal will look like. Make sure to view the video which shows the medal. Unfortunately, there is no mention of the ribbon that will be used for the medal. Here is the link: http://www.wistv.com/story/19336735/mother-of-fallen-marine-designs-states-medal-of-valor Jean-Paul

The complete official list can be found here: http://www.gg.gov.au/res/file/2012/honours/bd77/Gazette_August%202012.pdf Here is an news story I found which features some of the recipients: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/more-than-a-dozen-south-australians-recognised-in-national-bravery-awards/story-e6frea83-1226458481495 Jean-Paul

Hi Mervyn, I don't believe this is the same person. The other individual was a reservist working at the museum, while this individual appears to be some sort of dealer. Jean-Paul

Here is a long, but interesting article on wether every British Olympic Gold medalist should be honored in the New Year's Honors List. The gong controversy was sparked by Jeremy Stephens, permanent secretary at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), who said that there would be no ‘automatic’ gongs for Team GB’s gold medallists. Instead, the newly established independent honours committee would assess an athlete’s ‘contribution over a career and a lifetime’. Read the complete article: http://www.spiked-online.com/site/article/12804/ Jean-Paul

British designer John Galliano has been stripped of the Legion of Honour medal given to him by the French Government for his services to fashion. It comes nearly a year after the former fashion icon was found guilty of anti-Semitism. The decree to withdraw the prestigious award from the 51-year-old couturier was signed by French President Francois Hollande. In 2011 the former Dior fashion house designer was convicted of hurling anti-Semitic insults at a couple in a Paris café. It later turned out Galliano had made similar remarks at the same café a year before. Galliano blamed the outburst on drink and drug problems and told the court he remembered nothing of his anti-Semitic tirade. A French court fined Galliano 6,000-euro. Soon the incident he was fired from his position as Artistic Director of Dior and went into rehab for two months. Read the complete article: http://rt.com/art-and-culture/news/galliano-stripped-legion-honor-490/ Jean-Paul

Just came across this news item: The 55-year-old Invercargill man accused of stealing military medals says the charges will be "vigorously defended". Owen James Gough, 55, was yesterday granted a registrar's remand to appear in Invercargill District Court on September 7. He faces 22 charges of theft relating to a range of items including New Zealand operational service medals, Pinjat Jasa Malaysia medals, a set of six miniature medals, a 1915 Anzac Medallion, a 2nd Queen Alexandra Welling West Coast Badge, and New Zealand Army 150-year anniversary medals. He is also charged with obtaining a pecuniary advantage, namely $130, by selling a fake New Zealand Army 150-year anniversary medal as genuine and obtaining possession of a J-Force Medal and New Zealand Operational Service Medal and Miniature Medal, by deception. The alleged offending occurred between May 1, 1995 and May 1 this year. Detective Constable Kerry Russell said on Monday that the charges were laid after a police investigation following a Fair Go programme, which was aired on May 30. Yesterday morning, before his court remand, Gough said in a statement that the charges would be "vigorously defended". He also raised concern in the statement with various aspects of the Fair Go programme and aspects of the police investigation. Read the complete story: http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/7545258/Vigorous-defence-of-war-medal-charges Jean-Paul

I didn't realized that we'd get as much feedback on this topic when I posted it. Thanks to JapanX for the great images and information. It looks like we're not the only ones wondering about the authenticity of this item, as the medal went unsold at auction as indicated in the news item below: Chiang's medal fails to sell at Hong Kong auction A medal given to late President Chiang Kai-shek in 1930 went unsold at an auction in Hong Kong amid a controversy over its authenticity. The item on sale, the Order of Blue Sky and White Sun with Grand Cordon, was reportedly the only one among the more than 200 such military decorations that was awarded to Chiang and inscribed with characters meaning "Special One." Anna Lee, who presided over the Spink & Son auction, brushed off the failure to find a buyer, saying it was not uncommon for auction houses to not sell collectibles on offer. Asked if pricing was to blame, Lee said the floor price of HK$2.8 million (US$360,988) was relatively low given an earlier estimate of the medal's worth at between HK$3-HK$5 million. Lee also dismissed the link between doubts over the authenticity of the medal and the failure to draw a bid, and reiterated that the medal was genuine. Conflicting claims over the authenticity of the medal were raised before the auction, with Taiwan's defense ministry saying the medal given to Chiang was buried with the late Republic of China president in Taoyuan in 1975. Chu Kang-ming, who helped appraise the medal for Spink & Son, insisted that the medal on offer was authentic and said the Ministry of Defense had not been able to produce evidence backing up its claim. According to Chu, there are a total of 209 such medals and the one auctioned this time is the only one that is inscribed with the words "Special One." The other medals are inscribed with numbers. Read the complete article: http://focustaiwan.t...ID=201208240039 Jean-Paul

Here is a news article which will certainly prove very interesting and should generate a lot of comments: Lawyers for former media baron Conrad Black will be in Federal Court in Toronto today to argue that their client should be given the chance to explain in person why he should be allowed to keep his Order of Canada honour. Black's 1990 appointment as an officer of the Order of Canada is under review by an advisory council because of fraud and obstruction of justice convictions related to his tenure as head of the Hollinger newspaper empire. Black served 37 months in a Florida prison for those crimes and was released earlier this year. The regulations say the council shall consider "the termination of a person's appointment to the Order of Canada if the person has been convicted of a criminal offence." In an affidavit filed in Federal Court, Black said there are grounds to show he was treated inappropriately and unfairly throughout his "lengthy interaction with the American justice system." He says no Canadian court would have convicted him and he wants an oral hearing to make that point, with the help of witnesses, so he can look the Order of Canada's advisory council members "in the eyes." The advisory council has already turned down his request to appear in person to argue his case. According to the rules governing the termination process, a person whose appointment is being reviewed has the right to "make representations in writing or as the secretary general may authorize." There is no specific mention of the right to an oral hearing. The 11-member council, which is chaired by Supreme Court of Canada Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, is reviewing Black's case and will make a recommendation to Gov. Gen. David Johnston. Appointment as an officer of the Order of Canada is meant to recognize "a lifetime of achievement and merit of a high degree, especially in service to Canada or to humanity at large." Black renounced his Canadian citizenship in 2001 to accept a peerage in the British House of Lords. While in prison, he applied for and was granted a temporary resident permit, which would allow him to live in Canada until May 2013. He has said he wants to regain his Canadian citizenship. Read the complete article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/story/2012/08/24/conrad-black-court-hearing.html Jean-Paul

Another fascinating medal news article: Tammie Davenport spent a year researching and sketching designs for a medal to honor military men and women who, like her son, have been killed in action. On Tuesday morning at Anderson's National Guard Armory on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, two and a half years after she started her project, Davenport witnessed Gov. Nikki Haley signing the Medal of Valor Act, officially creating the medal and the means for the state to award it to families. To receive the medal, South Carolina families will need to notify their local state legislators, who will in turn recommend the award through a concurrent resolution of the state's two houses of government. The Medal of Valor law embraces Davenport's design, which features depictions of Ft. Moultrie's Revolutionary War cannons, The Citadel's checkerboard quadrangle and the state's Palmetto tree and crescent moon emblem. "The colors, the emblem — nothing is on there by accident," Davenport said. Read the complete article: http://www.independentmail.com/news/2012/aug/21/haley-in-anderson-to-sign-medal-of-valor-act-law/ Jean-Paul

Here is another interesting medal news item: A medal awarded to late Taiwanese leader Chiang Kai-shek is going up for auction in Hong Kong, even though Taiwan's defence ministry says it's not the original. The Order of Blue Sky and White Sun medal is going on the block Friday. It's expected to fetch 3-5 million Hong Kong dollars ($387,000-$645,000). Auction house Spink says Chiang was awarded the medal in 1930 by his Nationalist government, which ruled much of China while fighting a civil war with the Communists. In 1949, the defeated Nationalists fled to Taiwan and set up a rival regime. Taiwan's defence ministry said last week, after Spink announced plans for the auction, that Chiang was laid to rest in a mausoleum with the medal when he died in 1975. But at a press preview on Tuesday for the sale, collector and scholar Chuk Hong-ming said Chiang was buried with a duplicate medal. "Before 1995, it was the usual practice to give a new set of the medals to a general who passed away for burial," he said. The auction house says it's the first time the medal has ever gone up for auction. Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Late+Taiwan+leader+Chiangs+medal+going+block+defence+ministry+says/7119369/story.html#ixzz24HviaMyc Jean-Paul

Just came across this interesting news article which should generate a lot of debate. After more than a year of fierce, back-channel debates among historians and government officials, Canadian military regiments with links to 200-year-old units that fought in the War of 1812 have finally begun receiving so-called “battle honours” that formally recognize Canadian soldiers’ contributions in at least five major engagements from the war. While Defence Minister Peter MacKay announced this week that several Canadian regiments will now be recognized for “perpetuating” the 19th-century units that fought in the Battle of Detroit — a key August 1812 victory led by British commander Sir Isaac Brock and allied aboriginal warrior Tecumseh — Postmedia News has learned that similar honours will soon be bestowed to other present-day military units for the Battle of Queenston Heights, the Battle of Chateauguay and the Battle of Crysler’s Farm. Read more: http://www.canada.com/life/Canada+finally+award+battle+honours+1812+soldiers/7100951/story.html#ixzz23lXXgX9B Jean-Paul

Staff Sgt. Paul Worley, 30, from Eden, N.C., was part of a Marine unit that came under Taliban attack with sniper fire, rockets and rocket-propelled grenades on June 12, 2010, in the Laki district, long a Taliban stronghold. "He repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to accurately direct his squad's fires and suppress the enemy fighting positions, enabling his squad to move to establish security in several compounds," according to the Silver Star citation. During the five-hour gun battle, Worley raced between compounds to resupply machine-gunners with ammunition. Wounded in the leg, he refused to be evacuated until a more seriously wounded Marine received help. Despite being wounded, Worley continued to move through the battlefield "inspiring his squad through personal bravery in the face of continued effective enemy direct fire," according to the citation. Read the complete story: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/07/marine-from-camp-pendleton-receives-silver-star-for-bravery-in-afghanistan.html Jean-Paul

A Gurkha soldier who single-handedly held off an attack on his base as Tailban insurgents tried to overrun it is receiving the second highest medal for bravery . After exhausting all his ammunition - including grenades and a mine - Acting Sergeant Dipprasad Pun still fought on using the tripod of his machine gun to repel the militants. He says he's a "a very lucky guy" and is proud to be given the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross. The incident happened while he was alone on the roof on sentry duty at a checkpoint near Babaji, in Afghanistan's Helmand province, on 17 September last year. He spent more than 15 minutes fighting an onslaught from rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47s, firing 400 rounds, launching 17 grenades and detonating one mine. Read the complete article and view the video: http://bfbs.com/news/afghanistan/top-bravery-award-gurkhas-solitary-stand-against-taliban-attack-45902.html Jean-Paul

The award was for Abbate's actions Oct. 14, 2010, when his unit was ambushed by Taliban fighters while on patrol in the Sangin district of Helmand province, long a Taliban stronghold. Abbate, who was 26, was a sniper with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. During the attack, Abbate "took charge of the situation and with total disregard for his own life sprinted forward through the unswept minefield to draw fire and rally the dazed survivors," according to the Navy Cross citation. Abbate led a counterattack, helped evacuate the wounded and swept a helicopter landing zone for buried explosives. He survived the attack but was killed Dec. 2, 2010, in combat. Read the complete news story here: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/08/navy-cross-awarded-to-camp-pendleton-marine-killed-in-combat.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+lanowblog+(L.A.+Now) Jean-Paul

Canada did the same when they created their OSM back in 2010, and at present there are 6 different ribbons for this medal. If one looks back, the UN and recently NATO have been using the same medal, but with a different ribbon, so this type of practice has been around for some time. Personally, I don't agree with this practice. Reading the document on the Australian OSM, I see that Australia has already identified 11 Operations, so does this mean that we'll soon have 11 new Australian ribbons coming out shortly? BTW, I'm a ribbon collector, so this would certainly be good news for me... Jean-Paul

According to newspaper reports, the inquiring has now completed its hearings. A total of 72 people have appeared before a tribunal investigating the possibility of awarding retrospective Victoria Crosses. The inquiry finished it inquiries today after receiving 136 submissions. Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Senator David Feeney said the inquiry into Unresolved Recognition for Past Acts of Naval and Military Gallantry and Valour had struck a chord with the community. "These public hearings have attracted the nation's interest," he said. "In relation to the 13 names referred to it by government (for possible retrospective VCs), the tribunal will now consider what has been put before it and conduct any further research needed before reporting to me later this year." Advertisement The tribunal will also report on the rules, practices and procedures applying to both the imperial and Australian honours systems. This will include revisiting the particular policies and approaches followed in considering the actions of prisoners of war during the period up until Australia ceased making recommendations for imperial gallantry awards in 1992. The inquiry held public hearings in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Launceston. It heard from a wide range of witnesses including family members, historians, academics, Defence and ex-service organisations. Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/bravery-medal-inquiry-ends-hearings-20120727-22yns.html#ixzz22OCzF5bK Jean-Paul

Hi Mervyn, When I posted the first post, I received an error report, so posted 2nd time. As for the small print, it did look ok when I posted. Jean-Paul

New Zealand war hero and Victoria Cross recipient Corporal Willie Apiata's decision to leave the army may have been sparked by a request for leave. In a statement this evening the SAS Corporal said it was hard to bring an end to his 23 years of military service. Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman confirmed his departure this afternoon and paid credit to his great service. "Willie Apiata VC has been an outstanding member of the NZDF, his decoration speaks for itself and we wish him all the best in his future career," he said. Read the complete article: http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/request-leave-may-have-led-apiata-s-resignation-4975427 Jean-Paul

Here we go again. Another British Military Medal Review. What was the outcome you ask? A second report which is expected to be publish this coming Autumn... The UK's military medals system needs a "rapid but in-depth" re-think, a report for the government recommends. Veterans, including those who protected Arctic convoys in World War II and those who served in later Cold War, have called for greater recognition. In his report, former ambassador Sir John Holmes says there should not be a "blanket refusal" to reconsider cases. And calls to create a service medal for all military staff were "worthy of consideration", he added. Sir John, former UK ambassador to France and Portugal, was asked by the prime minister in April to look at the effectiveness and fairness of the current system. His report says there is "no appetite or good reason to change the basic approach underlying British military campaign medals policy", which is that they "should be awarded sparingly, on the basis of genuine risk and rigour". Read the complete BBC news article here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18875342 The full Report, along with a Ministerial statement can be found here: https://update.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/military-medals-review-report-sir-john-holmes Jean-Paul