Korean War Medal Bars

[Ulsterman]

Brett H. just posted some superb Dutch medal bars (in the Turkey section), so I thought I'd start a topic on Korean War medal bars. Given the international aspect of the conflict, all sorts of interesting things could show up.

For example, we know that Soviet and Warsaw Pact advisers were in Korea.....

This is my recent find, an Ethiopian Imperial Guard medal bar.

[Ulsterman]

This is another Ethiopian Korean war veteran's ribbon bar, probably a senior NCO's or a junior officers'-worn during the 1960s and maybe up until the coup of 1974. It consists of the Order of the Ethiopian Star (member), Korean war campaign medal, republic of Korea Korean war campaign medal, US Presidential unit citation ribbon, Korean presidential citation ribbon and the UN Korea medal.

[Brett Hendey]

Congratulations on the Ethiopian Imperial Guard medal bar. It must be exceptionally rare.

Just to set the record straight, the Dutch medal bar referred to was posted by Herr General. Perhaps he can repost it to this new thread.

I am really looking forward to seeing other additions here.

Regards

Brett

[Brett Hendey]

Here are the 2 Squadron SAAF Korean War groups in my collection. All belonged to ground crew, so lack the glamour and, usually, the extra medals of air crew.

[Brett Hendey]

This group belonged to an Irishman who served in the RAF during World War II, after which he emigrated to South Africa where he joined the SAAF.

[Brett Hendey]

Air Corporal Tiran served only in South Africa during World War II, so his group lacks campaign stars.

[Ulsterman]

Splendid!!

I'll be back tomorrow with a US group and a Canadian one.

I'd REALLY like to see a South Korean one though. A Norwegian group would be cool too.

[Brett Hendey]

Shown here is a Royal Navy medal group to a man who had earlier served in World War II.

[Brett Hendey]

This British Korean War pair is unusual in that the UN Medal has the text on the reverse in smaller letters than the common English language medals.

[Herr General]

Very nice bars! Where did you post the Dutch bars?

[Brett Hendey]

Hi Herr General

The Dutch bar was mistakenly credited to me, but it was actually the one you posted under the 'Turkish UN Korea Medal' thread. I hope that you will post it again under this thread.

Regards

Brett

[Herr General]

No problem,

Here's something from my collection:

My pride, group with American and Korean bravery award for Korea

[Herr General]

The Bronze Star is named and the Chugmu numbered! This belonged to a Dutch/British RAF Pilot during WWII and later volunteer of Korea as an Officer. With documents and photo's.

[Brett Hendey]

Herr General

Your "pride" is an amazing group and certain to be unique. I could never aspire to owning something so good. That said, I am envious of your other bars as well. Thank you for sharing with us.

Regards

Brett

[Brett Hendey]

The Korean War pair of medals to a New Zealander.

Brett

[Brett Hendey]

Shown here is a made-up medal group representing those of a US serviceman. The National Defence Service Medal was a generous gift from Ulsterman, to whom I am greatly indebted. I hope that he will soon show US and Canadian groups on this thread as promised earlier.

Brett

[Great Dane]

I have shown this group before, but it seems to fit the subject

The recipient was serving as a dental surgeon on the Danish hospital ship Jutlandia.

The Bronze Star is privately named with his initials.

/Michael

Edited November 28, 2009 by Great Dane

[Brett Hendey]

Michael

I admired this group on its previous posting and I am pleased to see it again. A truly impressive group of medals.

Perhaps you can clear up something concerning Danish medals. In his book on the medals of the Korean War, Kevin Ingraham wrote:

"Danish awards are a challenge due to the low number awarded and the requirement that they be returned on the death of the recipient."

This must indeed be a "challenge" and I wonder if this rule applies in other countries.

Regards

Brett

[kimj]

I must have missed that one in the other thread Michael. It's a beauty. I have seen a couple of Jutlandia medals but groups are pretty much non-existent.

Brett, your reference is probably mixing awards and orders. Orders are supposed to be returned but medals are yours to keep.

/Kim

[Brett Hendey]

Kim, thank you for clearing that up.

Brett

[Great Dane]

Thanks for the kind words, Brett and Kim,

The obligation to return ODMs is a little tricky in Denmark...

All orders are meant to be returned. Period.

Some medals are required to be returned, some not.

Generally, named medals are not meant to be returned (e.g. the Medal of Merit and the Life Saving medals).

All the 'long service and good conduct' however are actually meant to be returned (but probably never are...) - even the Home Guard version.

The Royal medal of Recompense had to be returned if awarded between 1972 and 1986 (if I remember correctly).

Etc. etc.

So all in all very confusing... One has to read the notes accompanying the institution of the medal to find out.

As for the Korea group:

Yes, most of the Jutlandia crew (nurses and ship crew) only received the Danish Jutlandia Medal (no. 3 from the left in my group), the UN medal and the Korean Service medal, and only a few of them bothered to have them mounted in a group (I guess they really didn't have opportunities to wear such a mounted group anyway).

/Michael

[kimj]

It would be a shame if this thread died. There are plenty more different nations that were in Korea that we haven't seen here... yet.

I can't post much as Swedish Korean war stuff is scarce but here is a set I got recently. It's anonymous for the time being, but I hope I can change that. If I had to guess who it belonged to I would say a doctor at the hospital at Pusan. Time will tell if I'm right.

/Kim

[Brett Hendey]

Kim

Thank you for keeping this thread alive with an excellent Swedish group. I hope that other members of this forum will add more rarities to it.

Today I received another British Korean War group that was offered on a South African medal auction late in November. It isn't a rarity but I will in any case add a picture of the medal group later.

Regards

Brett

[Ulsterman]

Jeepers! How on earth did that Swede get the third medal?

[Great Dane]

You're right Kim, let's keep it alive

To continue my post #21, here is an example of the trio that most on the Hospital Ship Jutlandia received.

Danish Korea (Jutlandia) Medal - UN Korea Service Medal - Korean War Service Medal

This one belonged to a nurse. She apparently went through the extra work of getting miniatures and having them mounted (maybe worn as a piece of 'jewelry').

I've seen her full size trio and they were just left as unmounted singles, which is how 95% (my estimate) of the ship crew and hospital crew kept theirs.

P.S: Nice group, Kim.

/Michael