Doc

Thanks, a very useful reference.

Thanks, Mickey. I'll do some digging before deciding to dispose of them-- I need to understand what I have, but they don't really fit into my Cold M1911 passion.

For a newbie, can you please give a URL for Rich's Website and a Title for Dan King's Book? I have a bunch of both this kind of Saki cup (many in the shape of a WW2 Japanese Helmet), military saki bottles, and some of the larger red lacquer flatter saki cups, all of which I picked up in the orient in the early 1970s. I'd like to find out more about them.

The pin is the classic "ruptured duck", given upon honorable discharge. Last ribbon in the middle row looks like one of the WW2 campaign medals-- I don't remember which one (not Asiatic, but probably Europe/Africa/middle east), and don't have my references available.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, I believe.

Don't forget the Kuwaiti Medal for the Liberation of Kuwait and the Saudi Arabian Medal for the Liberation of Kuwait. Both of these were national medals awarded to US participants, and later issued in a US-produced version. Also, the Iraq Campaign Medal, which began to be authorized in 2003. There are 2 GWOT medals, the GWOT Expeditionary Medal and the GWOT Service Medal. The National Defence Service Medal also covers this period.

DSA would be the "Defense Supply Agency", which later morphed into the Defense Logistics Agency. DSA markings were used 1962-1967.

You're welcome. Glad to help.

Thanks, David and Speagle. That citation is usable. I think, however, that you misread the document (your post #3)-- The PH IS a decoration. See paras 1-14c, and 2-8c. Para 1-33 is the one noting that official engraving is available on request for all Decorations. That certainly does seem to exclude non-decoration medals, such as campaign medals, etc.

Thanks for the reference-- unfortunately, the link is broken. However, a caveat-- the regulations are one thing, and the reality may be another. Most Army units (at least) keep a stock of various decorations for presentation. We do NOT normally wait until an engraved medal is available to award it to the soldier (except for the MOH), but we officially present them with an unengraved one. Very few US awards are ever sent back for engraving, even though it is apparently still available. In my experience (and I commanded 4 different Army units), an engraved decoration on this list is still less common than unengraved ones. I have awarded many LOM, Defense Superior Service Medal (the DOD equivalent of the LOM), MSM, PH, BS, and various commendation and achievement medals--- ALL were given to the soldier unengraved. On the other hand, I have seen some officially engraved PHs and other medals, which were provided to the soldier officially upon request for a replacement set after originals were lost or stolen (I do not know if this engraving for replacement medals is still being done-- my experience with this was quite a few years ago.) I cannot explain why PH is left off this list in this regulation-- it is certainly considered a "decoration". http://www.cufon.org/CRG/memo/1865124.html is an official reference for medals which clearly includes the PH as a "decoration". Unfortunately, this document does not discuss engraving. Thanks for the confirmation that most campaign medals are not engraved-- I think it would be very difficult to do so, in general.

Currently, at least, most US medals are not named-- Unlike the UK system, most medals are given at the unit level soon after they are earned. Thus, the units tend to keep stocks of the more common medals on hand for issuance. These are obviously not engraved. Some of the higher awards seem to come engraved before issuance. Soldiers have the option to have the medals engraved at their own expense-- most don't bother. Many US medals are not designed to be engraved-- as you note, the rims are usually too thin to be engraved, and frequently the reverse sides are fully sculpted, leaving no room for engraving. That said, if you claim that your medals have been lost or stolen, and request a new set, the replacements tend to come engraved (if it is possible on that particular medal). Obviously, this has changed over time-- the earlier the medal, the more likely it is to be engraved officially (though still not necessarily engraved). Also, the Higher the medal, the more likely it is to be engraved. As you have noted, the normal state is for medals to not be engraved. When they are, it is frequently done privately.

Not necessarily-- My father had an "O" number given to him in the 1950s.

It could be Kincaid.

Nope, just old eyes--- It looks like E9 to me on the conning tower--- I wouldn't argue with EB, especially since you have it in hand.

E9 - Launched 29 November 1913. Served as part of the British submarine flotilla in the Baltic. Another source says HMS E9 was a British E class submarine built by Vickers, Barrow. She was laid down on 1 June 1912 and was commissioned on 18 June 1914. So, were there two E9s?

But again, this says nothing about the award of the Korean War Medals--- There is no doubt the 343rd was in Japan, which is all this clipping demonstrates. The question is, whether or not they qualified for the medals. You will probably need to contact the Army Medical Museum and see if they have any information on this for you.

That article about Denfip clearly states it is an incomplete medal list, so it doesn't help you any. She should be qualified for the US Korean Service Medal and the UN Medal for her service with the 171st-- It says nothing about any awards specifically for the 343rd.

You need to get a copy of his DD214-- that should help clarify the issue for you.

But, according to the original post, he didn't have any "Korea Service"-- He was in Japan. I'm not surprised that the family did not put it into the obituary.

Yes, he would have been eligible for the National Defense Service Medal. Authorised for "any honorable active duty service" during the Korean War-- no requirement for combat deployment or any theatre requirements. Eligibility for the various Korean War medals would be more problematic, as the references I have readily available differ-- it is definitely a grey area. I believe the original Executive Order for the US Korean Service Medal restricted award to units and individuals specifically in Korea or in Korean Waters. Other references say it was available to others: Criteria: The Korean Service Medal was awarded for service between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954 under and of the following conditions: a. Within the territorial limits of Korea in waters immediately adjacent thereto: or b. With a unit under the operational control of the Commander-in-Chief, Far East, other than those units within the territorial limits of Korea, which has been designated by the Commander-in-Chief, Far East, as having directly supported the military efforts in Korea; or c. Was furnished an individual certificate by the Commander-in-Chief, Far East, testifying to material contribution made in direct support of the military efforts in Korea. If documentation could be found saying his unit fit into paragraphs b and c, then he would be eligible. Personnel who earned this campaign medal were also qualified for the UN Korean Medal. The UN medal was for service on behalf of the UN in Korea during the Korean Conflict. Awarded to "Any member of the United States Armed Forces for service in support of the United Nations Command.-- I think in this case, it would depend on what the command structure of the 343rd General Hospital was. Sorry to not have been of more help.

Basically, the government will engrave any medal for the recipient, but the medal has to be sent to Washington, and then wait a long time for the work to be done. Therefore, most recipients (including me) never bother to get them engraved. It is simply too big a system to have all the medals engraved before presentation. I would guess that engraved US medals are a small proportion of the total out there, including any engraved at recipient's cost at the local jeweler shop, and will be concentrated in the "higher level" medals. Basically, most of us simply have better things to do than ensure our own medals are engraved-- we know which ones we earned.

A close-up on the branch insignia might help date the photo. I agree it is Quartermaster Corps. The Insignia was changed just post-war to have the Eagle's head above the wings. During the War, the head was superimposed on the wing. Also agree that this patch is not the 79th division, but the Advanced Sector Service of Supply. Sorry, but I can't help on the ribbons.

The comparison between this award and the Legion D'Honneur or the OBE is not correct, in several respects. Most Frenchmen can recognize the ribbon of the Legion, and most Brits can recognize the OBE (and in both countries, most people can probably tell you what it signifies). The American Medal of Freedom is a joke-- most Americans have never heard of it, could not recognize the ribbon or the award, and couldn't care less.

I have just learned that in WW2 there existed ROTC pilot wings, some of which looked similar to these (though not in gold). Could these be ROTC-related?