Some things I brought back from Iraq

[Paul R]

Good Morning.

I returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom last summer. I served two tours with the US Coast Guard. I want to take a couple of minutes to share with you, some of the things I brought back.

Thank you all for looking!

Warm regards

Paul Reck

I brought back a rather large flag that our group captured from a seized freighter as well as several medals.

[Ed_Haynes]

I, for one, would be interested in seeing the medals. As the booty comes back, some interesting things are turning up.

Ed

[Paul R]

I will post some better pics of the medals in the near future. I know the large one in the middle with the packet is a wound medal...

There is also a couple of medals for the first conflict with the US in 1991. Other than that, I believe the rest to be Ba'ath party medals...

I really do not know much more about them. Maybe with better pics, you can shed some light on them?

Best regards

Paul REck

[Ed_Haynes]

Start with

http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/medals/iraq/iraq.html

though, due to some pretty serious information theft I have intentionally not been updating it! I have much more information and specimens now, though my medal sources have dried up after the invasion, as they lived in a part of Baghdad that got hammered; I have heard nothing since Gulf War III was launched.

Ed

Edited September 17, 2005 by Ed_Haynes

[Paul R]

Wow!!! Nice web site. I have...

The wounded medal with the original packet!

The Nut al-Istihqaq al-'Aali / Supreme Worthiness Medal, 1992-93

The Wissam 'Uum al-M'aarak / Mother of Battles Medal, 1990-91

The Sharah 'Uum al-M'aarak / Mother of Battles Badge

There is another medal that I cannot find on the reference site you started. Thank you again. I will take a better pic of the shadow box tomorrow.

The final medal looks just like the:

Nut al-Khidmat al-Awal / General Service Medal, 1926-58 except the ribbon is red where the green is on the one you posted.

Best regards

Paul Reck

Edited September 18, 2005 by Paul Reck

[bigjarofwasps]

The British Army frowns, on the bringing back of war trophies, stating that they are property of the Iraqi people. I assume that the American Coast Guard, takes a different view of this thinking. I`d very much like to hear other peoples opinions of this this.

[Chris Boonzaier]

The British Army frowns, on the bringing back of war trophies, stating that they are property of the Iraqi people. I assume that the American Coast Guard, takes a different view of this thinking. I`d very much like to hear other peoples opinions of this this.

←

In Bosnia you could just hold up a pack of smokes or sweets and folks would bring them to trade. Same in Europe after WW2.

I would imagine souveniers are not only ripped from the breast of the vanquished but also legitimatley traded for a pack of Marlboros.

[Marcus H]

This policy of the British Forces was always a form of contention, the absurdity of it, although today it may be suggested it was implemented because of a 'health & safety' aspect, this is not true but it alas covers that realm of that thought only in the blanket ban.

During and post WW2 it was also a big no no ! My father flew in the Berlin airlifts for several years, the usual alcohol and cigarretes where sort of accepted, as this often was distributed in the Officers mess for use off. But each time they landed back at Hendon, they were searched for contraban.

The biggest frown was anything connected with the TR, where as with the Americans........they freely aquired all sorts ! They to, flew from Hendon also. Dad remembers them with weapons and 'awards', daggers and all sorts, not that he was interested in them.

At the end of WW2, when troops were being ferried home, to the Isle of White one of the numerous demobilisation camps where troops were relieved of their military gear, they were warned before they docked to get rid of any trophies or items they had picked up, subsequently they threw a many a dagger and badge over board for fear of being searched and getting into trouble before being released on leave as such. As it was they weren't searched and could have kept the items !!!! This story was from a friends Father, and to add to that other veterans have said similar to me.

In the Gulf conflcit of 1990/91 we were told under no circumstance to touch, take or think about it !! In this day and age of course, with all ages and all sorts in the army. There are those who would bring back a live fireing RPG or tank mine.......and I've heard a multitude stories in the past when I was in the regular army of such like.

From the 90-91 episode some time after I heard that one lad had stripped a weapon and put it in the sump of his 432 AFV, an RAF loadmaster had several boxes of ammo and a weapon on his C-130 etc etc etc. I think the latter one was even in the media.

These stories and others, true or not, only add to the fuel of the fire. And where true, dictates the stance and supports this British policy.

I think the British policy is designed to the effect and seen in the light, that to aquire such items as badges and helmets etc is in effect tantamount to looting, i.e theft of items from a country, black and white full stop, as much so as stealing a silver dinner service from a family home, or whats the difference between a fallen soldiers wedding ring to his cap badge ?

The greatest contradiction of all this is in every mess of the Britsh armies remit, museum's too.........those being the regimantal and corps museums that still survive on camp.

Personally, I always thought there are shades of grey, a piece of webbing, helmet etc discarded on the roadside, where's the harm in that ??? Even purchased, like in the early days of Bosnia you could, post '95 it all seemed to dry up quickly as we had every other army there when the mortar and bullet rounds stopped flying, gettng their duration medals.

I always brought back as much as I could, most ranks did (or tried too), I've a couple of helmets and other military effects from countries and places, I would and could have had more, but with space and then searches it was the fear of being caught.

Kr

Marcus

[Guest Darrell]

Awesome stuff Paul ... your stuff will be labelled as that "Old Vet across the Street" bringback in 50 years

Edited September 26, 2005 by Darrell

[Paul R]

The British Army frowns, on the bringing back of war trophies, stating that they are property of the Iraqi people. I assume that the American Coast Guard, takes a different view of this thinking. I`d very much like to hear other peoples opinions of this this.

Hi!

I can assure you that these items were not ripped from either the clutches of a dead person or from a protesting native. The vessel was caught trying to sneak things out of the country and was detained. The crew members(like so many other workers) were from other countries and I was told that they were sent home after some time.

The items were declared legal when I listed them on my customs sheet on the way out.

As far as the medals are concerned, I traded for them.

There were rules as to what we could bring back... The ones I remember are:

1. No weapons, weapon parts, or ordinance.

2. Nothing of monetary value(unless there is a proof of purchase)

3. Nothing tastless(body parts and ect)

There were more but that is all I can remember now...(I am home sick so my brain is a bit fried. LOL)

Thanks again for your responses...

As for differences in military policies amoungst the allies... I wish we were allowed to have alcohol rations... Our military did away with that with the onset of the Prohibition. Although the US Govt has revoked that law, the military has not. We still are not allowed to drink onboard any military craft nor are we allocated any. (No disprespect was intended or taken).

Thanks Darryll,

I just wanted something to go with what I decide to tell my kids... if or when they ask.

Warm regards

Paul

Edited September 27, 2005 by Paul Reck

[Chris Boonzaier]

As for differences in military policies amoungst the allies... I wish we were allowed to have alcohol rations... Our military did away with that with the onset of the Prohibition. Although the US Govt has revoked that law, the military has not. We still are not allowed to drink onboard any military craft nor are we allocated any. (No disprespect was intended or taken).

Paul

Ha ha... when we relieved a company in Saravevo we inherited over 2000 bottles of issue wine... and in the crossing patrols at Sarajevo airport we liberated Slivowitz all the time....

We had a couple of pissheads but usually no problem.

I remember being on guard when the captain came down to his office with the Company sgt major who seemed a bit tipsy one night, they went into his office and closed the door. About 2 minutes later a Senior sgt came shooting down, asked if the company sgt mjr was in the captains office. I nodded yes and he went crashing through the door and like in a disney movie they came rolling out throwing punches in all directions, bouncing off some large glass doors.

The captain came out shouting to seperate them because they were they would damage the doors (would have then been real, real cold !!)

Oh man, the things that happen

It has to be watched, but the occasional drink while overseas does no harm.

[Paul R]

Hi Chris!

When I was stationed on a cutter(210 foot ship), USCGC CONFIDENCE(1998-2001), we did some Caribbean Ops with US and British Navy. I remember pulling into GTMO Cuba and the HMS Northland(I think that was the name of the ship) pulled in that night. I remember meeting the medic on board. I was invited to their first class mess where I was give some of the finest British rations. That was a great night. I had a blast. I wish we were allowed to have a drink or two after watch. I think they told me that the British were allowed two drinks per day... and some told me that they would save their rations for a few days and have them all at once!

Edited September 27, 2005 by Paul Reck

[Guest Rick Research]

Goodness, where would any of us be with a

No Souvenirs

policy?

It was quite common in WW1 to amicably swap cap badges, tunic buttons, and so on among both friend and foe. I suppose slipping a new friend a tunic button now would end up before a board of inquiry!

All quite silly.

I worked with a Ukrainian woman decades ago who as a child had made cash and trade goods from Allied soldiers in the U.S. and British Zones by sewing together novelty "tablecloths" and the like out of endless reams of never used Third Reich ribbons and insignia. Like the mis-named "hate belts" of WW1, most of these have now disappeared, disassembled, but no harm done. (They still HAD at least one such cloth under the lamp in their TV room, all naval ratings.)

Though I doubt VERY much ANYBODY asked the Displaced Persons where they GOT all the ribbon and insignia from.

After all, it wasn't as if the Thousand Year Reich was going to NEED any of it after 10 May 1945!

[Paul R]

LOL! I bet those were some pretty wild looking table cloths!!

[greg.hays]

Great stuff Paul, I'd love to see some close ups of the medals if you get the chance sometime.

[Paul R]

Thank you Greg.

I will dig them out and take some pics this evening, if time permits!

Warm regards

Paul

Edited October 12, 2005 by Paul Reck

[Ed_Haynes]

Not to preempt Paul's offerings, I have put up a number of Iraqi awards in the "Arab exotica" thread I started and will be adding more until your toleration for such things ends.

See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2785

[Ronny]

Love to see some pictures of your medals Paul.

Cheers,

Ronny.

[Paul R]

Here are the medals I brought back...

The award packet is for the wound medal. They seem to have mounted it upside down when I took it in for mounting.

[greg.hays]

Awesome medals Paul, and to get one in the original packet makes it that much better . What is the method of attachment on these. Is there a sewn on pin back? I am running across a lot of medals down here, but many of them have no pin backs and the metal is soft and maleable. Leading me to believe that they are fakes made for GI's.

[Paul R]

Awesome medals Paul, and to get one in the original packet makes it that much better . What is the method of attachment on these. Is there a sewn on pin back? I am running across a lot of medals down here, but many of them have no pin backs and the metal is soft and maleable. Leading me to believe that they are fakes made for GI's.

As far as I remember, the is no pin or backing. Just folded ribbon. The metal is hard and light weight. As the medals were professionaly framed, I cannot open the box without causing damage.

Thank you for your compliments!

Paul

[Ronny]

Awesome Paul,

Thanks for sharing.

Regards,

Ronny.

[greg.hays]

Thanks Paul, that info helps .

[Paul R]

Are you researching these medals? How rare are these medals and packets?

Regards

Paul

[Ed_Haynes]

See my thread?