Ribbon Bar Question

[hunyadi]

Here are two images of a ribbon that has me puzzled. The ribbon is found with first precedence on both a post war 1930's Cavalry Tunic and a WW2 IKE of the Yankee Division veteran. The ribbon has a small band of blue, then red then a wider band of white on each end with a black center. Is this a foreign award and if so - which one? Belguim?? Any help would be apreciated...

first the WW2 Ike

Edited May 6, 2009 by hunyadi

[hunyadi]

Here is the post WW1 Cavalry tunic

[Guest Rick Research]

That is (on both) the post-WW1 Army of Occupation Medal which was introduced in 1941 just before Pearl Harbor--sparking rumors of impending declaration of war!

Wrong precedence on the WW1 veteran since it should follow the WW1 Victory Medal ribbon. By the time this came out, assuming it's an officer from the collar insignia, there should ALSO have been an American Defense Medal ribbon for those "federalized" after September 1, 1939 back to active duty. Without one, he'd have had to be a post Pearl Harbor call-back, dating this to 1942.

The WW2 Yankee Division fellow from 101st Infantry (4 campaign stars Northern France from 7 September 1944 on, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe--ended war in Czechoslovakia May 1945, back in Massachusetts Christmas week 1945), is a fairly common case of the "old" (1941) Occupation ribbon being used IN PLACE OF the post-WW2 one, due to outfitter confusion or correct post-WW2 ribbon not being available. His ribbons are a typical MESS of screwy noncompliance with precedence regulations. (Star on WW2 Victory ) Oddly, since he has ANY Occupation ribbon on there-- by the time that would/should have come up, he should have received the automatic Bronze Star that by then went to recipients of the Combat Infantry Badge.

My great-uncle The Colonel and godfather from The Old Regulars would have gone NUTS over these ribbons! :cheeky:

[hunyadi]

Thanks Rick! :jumping:

[Ed_Haynes]

Yes, the ribbons are incredibly jumbled. Common for the era when no one quite knew (or cared).

My guess is that he wears the WWI occupation medal ribbon to represent post-WWII occupation service. This was before the WWII occupation medal was widely available and some veterans and PXs "improvised".

There should, of course, be NO star on the WWII Victory Medal.

Nice examples of the garbled realist that existed in those days.

[hunyadi]

Ed and Rick - as you noticed the ribbons are all out of whack and regulation on both of these. Of course this is what happened. Both of these tunics were direct from the veterans. The cavalry was "out of the closet" from the family who did not know or cared for it anymore and the YD was direct from the veteran himself. Sadly the veteran is in a nursing home with severe dimentia and the family would not know why he put a star on his WW2 victory ribbon.

[Ed_Haynes]

I wasn't suggesting that ANYTHING should be changed, just observing the mistakes. That deviance is part of the history of these delightful pieces!

[Ulsterman]

Direct from the vet!! wow.

Is there a name in/with the jacket?

[hunyadi]

Yes - documents, photos, and all...

[Paul R]

Lets see more of that grouping!! This is great stuff!