Michael Johnson

I think that the actual National Defense Service Medal was established a little after the Korean medals came out(just before the group was mounted). Or... he wanted to keep the five medals mounted on the bar that were most important(it costs more to start a second bar). Since everyone received the National Defense Service Medal, maybe he left it off to save a few bucks?

Would that be the reason that so many of the Second War groups I see are missing the Victory Medal?

Michael

Thank you Gordon for information about the two small UNEF "medals".

Today I would like to share with you a photo, which shows yugoslavian soldiers from UNEF I or UNYOM mission. I find it very interesting. Soldiers wear uniforms which are not standard yugoslavian uniforms. I even assume that these uniforms are not of yugoslavian origine but that they are of canadian origine. Can anybody identify these uniforms?

15vv4.GIF

Regards, Sebastijan

Yes, they look like the Canadian bush jacket and pants. The caps, too, look Canadian.

At one time Canada and Yugoslavia were about tied for participation in the most UN peacekeeping missions.

Michael

https://archive.org/stream/fordauntlessfran00biny#page/n7/mode/2up

Laurence Binyon's "For Dauntless France" is the best source for volunteers serving with the French.

The unit would have returned to the U.K. by the time the fourragere was gazetted in 1919.

Michael

Michael,

I'm not sure that this was a British unit, as the 72nd Division was a home service division, and was disbanded in April 1918. There was no American 72nd Division.

I think this must be the French 72e Division.

I believe that this was a British volunteer ambulance unit attached to the French Army. not a British Army unit - see http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=140788

They would not have had any post-war existence, so the wearing of the fourragere is not a question.

Michael

Thank you Captain.

From the quality of the badge and lack of markings I'd say a bazaar copy, but not really my field.

Michael

I am disappointed he didn't have overseas service, but it is a good piece.

I'm going to have to keep my eye open for named medals to Pennsylvania men, especially Army, since they don't have the muster rolls online.

Michael

British medal rolls exist for the Indian Army for some campaigns - those where the medals were issued from Britain. They include:

The Africa General Service Medal (the Indian Army was heavily involved in the Somaliland campaigns)

The General Service Medal, clasps Kurdistan, Iraq, NW Persia, S. Persia

Even where the rolls don't exist because the medals were named in India, there are some breakdowns of numbers per Indian regiment and number of clasps - a case in point is the Egypt Medal.

Anthony Farrington also did two casualty rolls including Indian Regiments: The Second Afghan and IGS 1895.

Michael

On the surface this medal looked very promising. Named correctly to Albert Larue Delp, Jr. 1945

A search of Ancestry Naval Muster rolls showed four entries, for U.S.S. Lexington (1943), USS Bairoko (1947), and USS Rendova (1947). Rating Aviation Mechanic. But why no other wartime entries?

Today I noticed his name under Pennsylvania Veteran Compensation Applications. These are quite lengthy forms, as different rates were paid for domestic and foreign service. To my dismay Albert never served outside the U.S. Revisiting the muster rolls, I think he spent his time at NAS San Diego.

I imagine his time in would have qualified him for the American Campaign Service Medal and the Second War Victory Medal.

"They also serve...."

Thank you, Captain.

I agree that the Constellation W D Smart is a good bet, quite apart from the fact that I've always had a thing for U.S. Navy aviation. I'd like to think he served on carriers throughout his service. And Vietnam service takes me back to my teenaged years, with Phantoms and Skyhawks and Crusaders.

So I need to cross-correlate the carriers which qualified for the Occupation Service Europe with the ones with China Service, and maybe Korea.

It's a pity the Navy Muster rolls aren't available online past 1949.

Michael

I think the second language on the 1965 Medal is likely Bengali. No need for it on the 1971 medal, for obvious reasons.

http://www.ancientscripts.com/bengali.html

Michael

I've sent an email to the veterans' support agency in Seneca County which he heads. Hopefully it will be passed on to him, and he'll get back to me. As a VFW member he would know what he's entitled to from his discharge.

Michael

Well my back-up is my email to a reporter who covered an award in 2013 to a VFW branch leader who served in the 343rd. http://www.fltimes.com/news/local/article_2422572a-ab58-11e2-b075-0019bb2963f4.html?mode=jqm

Michael

I may have the answer.

http://genealogytrails.com/ill/alexander/veterans.html Under Denfip. Her medals are listed, and she has the UN Korea, but not the U.S. Korea Service Medal. She served with the 343rd. But strangely she is listed as also "171st Evacuation Hospital in Korea in 1953". So which did she get the UN Medal for, and why no U.S. Medal?

Michael

Thanks, Doc.

In this case I find it interesting that the family didn't mention his Korea service in the obituary (and his sister, who lived with him, would certainly have known). And his DVA BIRLS file only shows his AAC service from 1942-45.

Still, the Senate list is fairly conclusive proof that he served.

Michael

Oh, and is he missing a National Defense Service Medal for his Korean service?

Michael

I have an Army Good Conduct named to Eldred L. McCoy. I was able to find his 2007 obituary, which mentions service in Africa, Italy and Corsica. He was with the AAC, a Sergeant, and probably a Cook, as that was his civilian occupation. He also worked at the Willard Mental Hospital.

Taking a second look, I found a resolution of the New York State Senate, honouring the service of the "Willard Hospital Division of the 343rd General Hospital Unit upon the occasion of their deployment to serve their country during the Korean War." and Eldred L. McCoy is on the list.

The 343rd served in Japan only.

Under Commonwealth rules, this service would qualify for the UN Korea Medal. But I'm not clear if the U.S. qualification was the same. From my reading he isn't qualified for the U.S. Korea Medal. Would he have the National Defense Service Medal?

U.S. experts, please help me out here.

(I'm assuming his WWII entitlement would be American Campaign Service, Europe-Africa-Middle East Medal, WWII Victory Medal)

Michael

Of course the Ross III was shipped in some numbers to the U.K. in 1940 to arm the Home Guard.

Michael

There are a number of other Lancasters, but they are not currently in flying condition.

I'd just be easier in my mind if the didn't try to fly the CWHM Lanc over. We are dealing with an almost 70-year-old airframe, no matter how lovingly cared for.

Michael

I have a book on Canadian bayonets produced back in the 1970s that states that United Cigar Stores bought a lot of Ross bayonets, ground off the locking spring and barrel ring, and re-cut the edge to a bowie shape. They were sold after the Second World War as hunting knives. And having owned several Ross bayonets 40 years ago, they take a marvellous edge, and have good weight.

Your example lacks the bowie point, so I doubt it is one of these, unless the point was reground. I'm away from my sources, so I couldn't tell you whether the current blade length is shorter.

Michael

Hey, it's nothing to lose your head over!

Naming on the Good Conduct.

The group. It's interesting that although his service seems to be mostly Pacific, he has a Europe clasp on his Occupation.

Still working on this one, and have come up with a possible for the end of his career. There was: SPCM W D Smart USS Constellation CVA-64 1967 ADJAN W D Smart USS America CVA-66 1968 USN ranks are a mystery to me, but I understand the first has to do with steam catapults on carriers. So it looks like he may be missing Vietnam medals as well. How does a non-U.S. citizen access USN service records? b. 1931 in Pennsylvania enlisted 15 Nov. 1948 discharged 15 Nov. 1968 died San Diego 16 November 1980 Any help greatly appreciated.

^{It sounds like he name-erased the GSM and decided to keep the Long Service/Efficiency/Coronation.}

^Michael