Saddam-era Iraqi Medal in Original Custom Box

[Linasl]

Greetings Everybody.

I recently bought a Saddam-era (I think) Iraqi medal, but cannot identify it. If you have any thoughts, please let me know.

I have attached a low resolution medal on this post, but have high-resolution photos on PhotoBucket, if you follow this link:

http://s752.photobuc...al%20in%20Case/

Any information would be useful.

Thank you. Linas

[bmsm]

According to the Rusty Knight's place, it is a Wounded in Action Medal awarded by the 1st Inf. Div. to the Iraqi Security Forces and Iraqi Police. There are four different medals ( Wounded in Action, Killed in action, Achievement Medal and valor Medal) for a complete set. I sold a set to Lorenzo awhile back. Rusty Knight's palce has a picture of all four of them. They seem to be hard to find and are not advertised for sale very often.

Bob

[Guest IMHF]

According to the Rusty Knight's place, it is a Wounded in Action Medal awarded by the 1st Inf. Div. to the Iraqi Security Forces and Iraqi Police. There are four different medals ( Wounded in Action, Killed in action, Achievement Medal and valor Medal) for a complete set. I sold a set to Lorenzo awhile back. Rusty Knight's palce has a picture of all four of them. They seem to be hard to find and are not advertised for sale very often.

Bob

Bob

Thank you for the set, yes these medals are very hard to get, I believe that these medals were manufactured in 2003-2004 for the new start of the Iraq Government. I was also told that these medals were made at U.S. cost to award a standining unit while serving with the U.S. Forces. One of them resembles the U.S. Army Commendation Medal.

[Linasl]

Gentlemen - absolutely FANTASTIC! Thank you for all the input.

Take care. Linas

[Paul R]

Very unique looking medals. I bet only the most senior officers received these!

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

From my notes in 2004 for an article later published by JOMSA:

"It would appear than, despite continuing military action that new medals have been, in 2004, produced for Iraqi personnel who are part of the new Iraqi Army, which is in the process of being currently established. This series of four awards are illustrated above and are, from left to right, as follows:

• Wounded in Action Medal, (35mm diameter).
• Killed in Action Medal (35mm diameter).
• Medal of Achievement (42mm diameter).
• Medal for Valour (42 mm diameter).

Whilst some 2000 Medals for Achievement have been manufactured the other three medals have been limited to production runs of 1,000 each. The reverses of all four medals are blank. The ribbons are all 26mm in width and 34mm in length. The medals, of gilded and enamelled base metal are of high quality and each comes in a plain blue velvet-like case, 106 mm x 76 mm. These medals, or so it appears, are to be awarded to the new Iraqi security forces – army and police by the U.S. Military, accordingly their status can be inferred as quasi-official.

I have been advised that the procurement order emanated from the U.S. 101. Infantry Division and thus are not official government awards. A German company was contracted to manufacture these medals. In turn it appears that the German company sub-contracted the order out to a company in mainland China.

With regard to the design the Arabic inscription for Republic of Iraq on all four reads “Al Jumhoriya Al Iraqiya” which was last used on Saddam era awards prior to 1990, thereafter the inscriptions read “Jumhoriyat Al Iraq” - the difference in Arabic being that the former is the feminine and the latter masculine. Also at this time the Iraqi flag upon the eagle changed from horizontal to vertical and the Arabic inscription “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great) was added to the flag. Thus the medals are a mix of old and new Saddam styles. Finally the eight-pointed star format of the Achievement and Valour Medals is a style adopted by the Saddam regime and occurs in a series of badges and architectural designs."

Regards,

Owain

[Linasl]

Well, well Owain, a pleasure to hear from you again. Thank you so much for your input. I will add some of the important parts to my desciption, so when I try to sell it on eBay this weekend, I will sound like an expert. But like last time, I will give proper notice that my information comes from this forum.

Take care Owin.

Linas

[Linasl]

Owain - sorry for mispelling your name at the end. Forgive me. Linas

[Linasl]

Owain - is my medal the one for Achievement or Valor?

Linas

[Guest IMHF]

Owain - is my medal the one for Achievement or Valor?

Linas

Medal for Wound;)

Lorenzo

[Linasl]

Hello Lorenzo.

I am starting to get confused. According to Owain's information, the Wounded medal is 35 mm in diameter, whereas the Achievement and Valor medals are 42 mm in diameter.

The medal I have is 42 mm in diameter; so how can it be the Wounded medal?

Somewhere there is a disconnect. I am now more lost than before. I definitely need assistance.

Thanks. Linas

[Guest IMHF]

Ribbon Colors:

-Red White Red, Medal for Valour

-Green White Green, Medal for Achievement

-Red White Red White Black 3 green Stars, Medal for Wounded ("This is the medal you have displayed")

-Red White Black White Black 3 green Stars, Medal for Killed in Action

I hope you understand this, in order of color of the mounting system/ribbon

Sad to see you only post to sale an item and not for the research;)

Lorenzo

Edited August 13, 2010 by IMHF

[Guest IMHF]

Here is an Iraqi Fire Rescue Officers Badge, contracted by Symbols Arts that is now being sold all over Baghdad, Iraq's Bazzars and on EBAY for $20.00-35.00. I contacted Symbol Arts and asked them what the badge was for all they could tell me is that it was contracted by a U.S. contractor to over see the Iraqi Fire Rescue Teams. They were suppose to be given out as awards for thier graduation of their class of training. This is the same thing as the 4 2004 Iraqi Medals contracted to manufacture but few were issued and the rest sold in the Bazzars in Iraq. When I asked Symbol Arts if I was able to buy one for my collection how much would they have costed me the rep said $65.00-$75.00. What fraud waste and abuse on these military supplies.

Lorenzo

Edited August 13, 2010 by IMHF

[oamotme]

Ribbon Colors:

-Red White Red, Medal for Valour

-Green White Green, Medal for Achievement

-Red White Red White Black 3 green Stars, Medal for Wounded ("This is the medal you have displayed")

-Red White Black White Black 3 green Stars, Medal for Killed in Action

I hope you understand this, in order of color of the mounting system/ribbon

Sad to see you only post to sale an item and not for the research;)

Lorenzo

Lorenzo may well be correct - the identification I have given was that supplied to me by a fellow collector in Germany whose brother had some how been involved with the purchase or manufacture of the awards. However in submitting my draft to JOMSA the Editor advised that a similar draft had been submitted by Ed Emering and the two were combined and published in the November-December 2007 issue of JOMSA and the identification therein follows that given by Lorenzo.

Owain

[Linasl]

Lorenzo - I do enjoy the research. And I very much enjoy the collaborative dialogue on this forum. Everyone is nice and full of fascinating information.

But I also need to make a living to feed my family - selling medals is MY source of income. I wish I had the luxury to collect and keep (like you apparently do), but having to sell is MY "sad" reality. Please don't judge me for you don't even know me.

Also, I am quite sure there are many other members of GMIC who use the combined expertise of many collectors to help them identify what they have before they sell.

Linas

[Guest IMHF]

Lorenzo - I do enjoy the research. And I very much enjoy the collaborative dialogue on this forum. Everyone is nice and full of fascinating information.

But I also need to make a living to feed my family - selling medals is MY source of income. I wish I had the luxury to collect and keep (like you apparently do), but having to sell is MY "sad" reality. Please don't judge me for you don't even know me.

Also, I am quite sure there are many other members of GMIC who use the combined expertise of many collectors to help them identify what they have before they sell.

Linas

We here would never try to judge you so sorry if you think that way, the GMIC has proper sections for identification of military relics. Please post your medals there, once you have received the information then post it in the for sale section.

Thank you

Lorenzo

Edited August 14, 2010 by IMHF

[Guest IMHF]

MEDAL FOR VALOR

-Red White Red, Medal for Valor Awarded to the ISF Iraqi Security Forces that served in Baghdad, Iraq working along side the Coalition forces.

Awarded for valorous action in 2004

Edited August 14, 2010 by IMHF

[Guest IMHF]

MEDAL FOR ACHIEVEMENT

-Green White Green, Medal for Achievement

-Awarded to ISF Iraqi Security Forces for their Achievements in military training and there help in establishing local security in Baghdad, Iraq in 2004.

Edited August 14, 2010 by IMHF

[Guest IMHF]

MEDAL FOR WOUNDED

-Red White Red White Black 3 green Stars, Medal for Wounded

-Awarded to ISF Iraqi Security Forces who were wounded in action in helping to establish local security in Baghdad, Iraq 2004.

[Guest IMHF]

MEDAL FOR KILLED IN ACTION

-Red White Black White Black 3 green Stars, Medal for Killed in Action

-Given to the families of the ISF Iraqi Security Forces for their Sacrifice (death of their soldier) in helping establish the local security for the government in Baghdad, Iraq 2004.

Edited August 14, 2010 by IMHF