U.S.A. Medal of Freedom 1945-1963 ?

[Veteran]

Hello every one

We are having an interesting debate on the French medal collectors'forum about the U.S.A. Medal of Freedom.

It was rather sparingly awarded to French members of Resistance or people who helped extricate Allied soldiers and mostly airmen from occupied France.

Medal occasionnally appear on the market. They usually sell at moderate prices. We are trying to establish how to recognize early awards form possible later ones or outright copies. One of the features early medals known to be genuine seem to have is a thick (3mm +) flan.

Is this assumption correct ? How about various strickings, possibly by several contractors ? The MoF is a highly respected award in France and we really wish to receive accurate and useful way to tell the earlier ones.

Would experienced collectors of U.S. material care to give information on this medal. Every bit of help will be greatly appreciated.

All the best

[Michael156]

Agreed. Second the request for any more authoritative information on the Medal of Freedom and recipients. As a researcher of resistance and partisan award this appears to be the only medal that was specifically created to recognize U.S. and foreign personnel involved in unconventional warfare and those who assisted allied personnel in escape lines. Understand there may have been some adjustment of awarding guidelines in the early sixties. Any scholarly information or would be greatly appreciated. I will reciprocate as any research is acquired.

Thanks, M

Hello every one

We are having an interesting debate on the French medal collectors'forum about the U.S.A. Medal of Freedom.

It was rather sparingly awarded to French members of Resistance or people who helped extricate Allied soldiers and mostly airmen from occupied France.

Medal occasionnally appear on the market. They usually sell at moderate prices. We are trying to establish how to recognize early awards form possible later ones or outright copies. One of the features early medals known to be genuine seem to have is a thick (3mm +) flan.

Is this assumption correct ? How about various strickings, possibly by several contractors ? The MoF is a highly respected award in France and we really wish to receive accurate and useful way to tell the earlier ones.

Would experienced collectors of U.S. material care to give information on this medal. Every bit of help will be greatly appreciated.

All the best