Common WWII Medal Bar

[Guest IMHF]

Common WWII Medal Bar

Here is a WWII Medal Bar I just bought from militaryitems.com for a good price: Can anyone tell me a little information about this Medal Bar, it would be a great help.

Thank You

SSG Luna, Lorenzo

[Paul R]

Well, he was a Navy Sailor with at least 12 years of service(4 years for a good conduct medal back then). Looks like he pulled convoy duty in the Atlantic and in the Caribbean, as well as some service time in the Pacific. It does not look like he was directly engaged in any major campaigns, as there are no stars in the Campaign medals.

With all of those years, I would expect to see an American Defense medal(pre WW2) or a National Defense Service Medal for the Korean War time frame (1950-3). Perhaps this is the lower bar of a multi bar medals rack?

[Daniel Cole]

Question,

I thought Navy Good Conduct Medals, prior to around 1950 were engraved with the sailor's name and had the flat bottom at the bottom of the ribbon (like a USMC Good Conduct). I have a picture someone where as an example.

[Andwwils]

During wartime, Good Conduct Medals are given for one-year of continuous service. I may be wrong, but if it's true that would make this bar out to be for someone who enlisted in 1942 and got out of the service sometime in 1945/1946. Very odd that this bar doesn't show any campaign stars on any of the campaign medals.

[Paul R]

Very odd that this bar doesn't show any campaign stars on any of the campaign medals.

My thoughts as well...

I dont know about the 1 year good conduct rule though. If this is the case, I can tell you from experience that they do not do this anymore.

[Andwwils]

My thoughts as well...

I dont know about the 1 year good conduct rule though. If this is the case, I can tell you from experience that they do not do this anymore.

It has to be 1 year of continuous service during a time of declared war. The last officially declared war being WWII. Nowadays, all the services award the Good Conduct for every three years continuous active duty service - I believe. There may be some loop-holes.

[Guest Rick Research]

1 year only ever applied to the army, as far as I know from my family's assortment.

Don't have the full regulations to hand, but I believe somebody in naval transport would have qualified by entering these areas but would not have had battle stars for LAND operations.

It is also entirely possible, looking at this bar, that somebody--possibly much later-- stuck stars in the WRONG ribbon. Might have been a plain Good Conduct with a star apiece supposed to be on the EAME and AP.

Nobody in my family who ever actually applied for their medals (and there are still some who haven't) got stars with them. Those were up to the wearer to get himself.

[Ulsterman]

Not uncommon at all- I have one almost exactly like it-much worn and given to me by a petty officer machinist who served mostly in Boston in WW2 and worked in sight of his home in Charlestown.. However, he did earn himself an air medal by being aboard a number of antisubmarine flights in 1942 as a signaler.

[Guest IMHF]

Ulsterman

"Wow"

I would love to see a picture of it can you post it here at the GMIC back and front: Does it have the Air Medal on it?

Thank you

SSG Luna, Lorenzo

[Andwwils]

1 year only ever applied to the army, as far as I know from my family's assortment.

Don't have the full regulations to hand, but I believe somebody in naval transport would have qualified by entering these areas but would not have had battle stars for LAND operations.

It is also entirely possible, looking at this bar, that somebody--possibly much later-- stuck stars in the WRONG ribbon. Might have been a plain Good Conduct with a star apiece supposed to be on the EAME and AP.

Nobody in my family who ever actually applied for their medals (and there are still some who haven't) got stars with them. Those were up to the wearer to get himself.

The stars could be on the wrong ribbon, that's a distinct possibility. Finding the Navy Good Conduct regulation from WWII would clear the whole thing up. Might be available online.

Edited January 4, 2008 by Andwwils

[Guest IMHF]

Not uncommon at all- I have one almost exactly like it-much worn and given to me by a petty officer machinist who served mostly in Boston in WW2 and worked in sight of his home in Charlestown.. However, he did earn himself an air medal by being aboard a number of antisubmarine flights in 1942 as a signaler.

Ulsterman

Can you post your medal bar like this on the GMIC I would like to see it:

Thank you

SSG Luna, Lorenzo

[Scott Powell]

i'm suprised there isnt an occupation medal as well. i tend to agre with Paulr's statement of this being the 'lower bar'