Kuwait Liberation Medal

[Guest IMHF]

Kuwait Liberation Medal (Emirate of Kuwait)

Criteria: Awarded for participation or support of Operations Desert Shield or Desert Storm between August 2, 1990 and August 31, 1993. Awarded by the government of Kuwait to all allied forces that fought to liberate their nation.

Established: March 16, 1995

Edited December 31, 2007 by IMHF

[Ed_Haynes]

This is, of course, a Kuwaiti award (and not a US one). It is discussed in some detail over at

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=14642

Unfortunately, I don't have the power to merge this mis-posting into that thread.

[Guest IMHF]

Ed

Thank you for the information:

Happy New Year

SSG Luna, Lorenzo

Edited December 31, 2007 by IMHF

[Guest IMHF]

Here is how both awards are worn on the U.S Army Medal Bar:

[Ed_Haynes]

ED

Well you need to tell the U.S Government that. I bought this at the clothing and sales on post: Near the dress blue section. All the senior NCO's wear it on their ribbon bar, that fought in the Gulf War.

ED, whats with you always cracking on my posts????????

Happy New Year

SSG Luna, Lorenzo

It is a Kuwaiti award, given to all participants in Gulf War II. The US government knows that.

[Guest IMHF]

Ed

I under stand what you are saying, I put it here for the U.S military being awarded the Medals: not what country that awarded it.

To me that is part of the U.S military history:

SSG Luna, Lorenzo

Edited December 31, 2007 by IMHF

[Guest IMHF]

Does anyone know how may U.S Soldiers were awarded this Medal?

Thank you

God Bless

SSG Luna, Lorenzo

[Ed_Haynes]

Ed

I under stand what you are saying, I put it here for the U.S military being awarded the Medals: not what country that awarded it.

To me that is part of the U.S military history:

SSG Luna, Lorenzo

Should we then add it to all the other countries that participated in that conflict? In the multiple classes in which it was awarded (that the US did not allow to be accepted)? However most countries did not allow the medal (or the Saudi, or Bahraini, or Emirati medals to be worn).

Please do rememeber that this is an INTERNATIONAL forum, and one must strive to think internationally and outside one's own narrow partiotic life experience.

[Guest IMHF]

Kuwait Liberation Medal (Emirate of Kuwait)

Criteria: Awarded for participation or support of Operations Desert Shield or Desert Storm between August 2, 1990 and August 31, 1993. Awarded by the government of Kuwait to all allied forces that fought to liberate its nation.

Established: March 16, 1995

[Guest IMHF]

The order of wear of both medals on the uniform:

Does any one know how many were issued?

Thank you for viewing:

SSG Luna, Lorenzo

[Chris Boonzaier]

Here is mine.

I forget what the the difference is.

Best

Chris

P.S. will try and find the award doc today.

[Chris Boonzaier]

A thought to this one...

As the country is one of the few in the region where the population WAS grateful to see western troops.... and as they have zillions of dollars of oil....

This piece of crap medal is a bit of an insult. They could not have paid more than EUR2 for it.

The first time I got a medal retroactively I had my medal bar changed to include it.

This one, I did not bother.

I am glad I have the document entitling me to the award.... but feel the medal itself is an insult.... one of the worst examples of taking the "Lowest bidder" ever.

[Paul R]

A thought to this one...

As the country is one of the few in the region where the population WAS grateful to see western troops.... and as they have zillions of dollars of oil....

This piece of crap medal is a bit of an insult. They could not have paid more than EUR2 for it.

The first time I got a medal retroactively I had my medal bar changed to include it.

This one, I did not bother.

I am glad I have the document entitling me to the award.... but feel the medal itself is an insult.... one of the worst examples of taking the "Lowest bidder" ever.

Yours is completely different than the one awarded to the US. I wonder why?

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

Indeed the Kuwaiti governmet did go out to tender and as it appears went for the lowest price - however is is an Order in 5 grades (according to rank) and the two senior grades - both neck badges - distinguished and 1st class are very well made - by Bertoni if I recall correctly. However not only were the lower grades of dubious quality but critically not enough were made - this lack of quantity I suspect rather than quality led the US to manufacture its own issue. This lapse in quality is not evident in the post-liberation issues of the Order of Kuwait. Prior to the invasion the order was locally made - gilded base metal and of relatively poor quality - the post- liberation order has been manufactured by Garrard in London and in gold - no expense spared!

Owain

Edited December 31, 2007 by oamotme

[Guest Rick Research]

Am confused:

Are these medals actually MADE by and delivered from Kuwait? I was under the impression that, like the "1960-" Republic of Viet Nam Campaign Medal star, unless a recipient bought a privately made tailor shop example in country, all of these are actually "facsimiles" I suppose you could say, manufactured by contractors in each recipient's home country?*

"Authorized" and "awarded" by the host country, but actually delivered from a home country manufacturer?

So are all these medals actually Kuwaiti-supplied, or ARE there American, British, French etc etc versions?

*The "fat separate center button" RVN star I bought for my DaNang Seabees uncle (who was told "supply your own, this is not a U.S. decoration") in the 1970s bears no resemblance to the one my Australian friend got when he returned home.

[Chris Boonzaier]

I think the terrible printed ribbon is a pointer that they all come from the same place?

The box mine came in was definitely not French.

best

Chris

[Guest Darrell]

I have an example of a US Made (and issued) and a Kuwaiti (Italian made - like the example posted by Lorenzo) issued example. Noticeable differences for sure.

US Made:

[Guest Darrell]

Kuwaiti Issued (Italian Made):

[Guest Darrell]

Maker Stamp on Case of Italian Made Medal:

[Guest Rick Research]

Aha! That's what I thought!

A "Kuwaiti" medal, to me, is one made for that country for presentation by that country, not these "locally made" foreign ones. It's a question of origin rather than issue, since these are officially sanctioned but FOREIGN MADE awards.

Noticably different indeed-- even if the suspension pin gets detached, details on the map's islands etc etc should be enough to tell these two apart.

Like the 1915 Ottoman War Medal stars-- made in endless variations for decades afterwards by their former Central Powers allies--these are what I'd consider representations of an award, to local standards.

Or not. One has to wonder about the accuracy of the copied Arabic inscriptions-- just as with the earlier "Turkish" awards.

[Guest Darrell]

....

Noticably different indeed-- even if the suspension pin gets detached, details on the map's islands etc etc should be enough to tell these two apart. ....

Another easy identifier is the difference in the shape and position of the laurel wreath under the ribbon suspension device. Difference on the reverse as well

[Guest IMHF]

I love it when you start off with something and you come out with a lot of great information from all your friends on the GMIC.

Thank you for sharing.

Happy New year to all of you wonderful people on the GMIC.

God Bless

SSG Luna, Lorenzo

[Chris Boonzaier]

Here is one from the UK.

[Chris Boonzaier]

back

[oamotme]

As the Kuwaiti award is an order and the Saudi award a medal the order of precedence is that the Kuwait award should come first. The two other awards from Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates are both medals and thus if anyone does have these, the order of precedence should be in accordance with the date of their award to the individual concerned.

Regards,

Owain