Long Service Good Conduct Medals

[muckaroon1960]

Here is my collection of Long Service Good Conduct medals.

Left to right, Army, Navy, Marine Corp, Coast Guard and Air Force.

All original issue.

[muckaroon1960]

Army LSGC Medal

[muckaroon1960]

Navy LSGC

[muckaroon1960]

Marine Corp LSGC with Brooch.

[muckaroon1960]

Coast Guard LSGC

[muckaroon1960]

US Air Force LSGC

[Paul R]

Very nice collection. Now, you need to get the reserve components GCMs. Can you please shoot a shot of the reverse of the CG CGM?

[Ulsterman]

The GC is a really interesting medal. It was one of the two that most guys got in 1945/46 when they were discharged.

there is a great OMSA article about the army versions.

Do you have any numbered early ones?

[Paul R]

Jeff,

Here is it's brother...

[muckaroon1960]

Thanks for the pics guys. When I get the chance I will photo the reverse of the GC's and post on this topic.

[muckaroon1960]

Here is a picture of the reverse of the GC medals.

Left - right USAF, Coast Guard, Marine Corp, Navy & Army.

[muckaroon1960]

Close up of the reverse of the CG as requested by Paul.

[muckaroon1960]

And to my surprise found that the Marine Corp GC was numbered 56866

Edited February 18, 2012 by muckaroon1960

[muckaroon1960]

Have found out by research on the web that the number on these medals from 20000 to 70000 were issued during WW1 so I believe this would place my GC in that era.

[Paul R]

That is a cool piece.

[dmiller8]

The term "Long Service" doesn't apply to the Good Conduct Medal, as they are usually awarded for the successful completion of a 3-year "hitch" . Additional awards are in the form of appurtenances; a bronze, silver or gold clasp on the Army GCM, Small bronze stars on the Navy and Marine GCM, and the Air Force uses oak leaf clusters. During WW2, the Army authorized the first award after 1 year of wartime service, but the second award would not be authorized until 3 more years elapsed.

In my experience, the Army GCM was practically an entitlement, since the award had to be dis-approved by the company commander if the soldier was not deserving by reason of non-judicial punishment or other adverse personnel actions. If there were no other disqualifying criteria, then the award was automatically tendered on the anniversary of the soldier's enlistment. My old First Sergeant liked to make a great ceremony of presenting additional awards, preparing stocks of medals with the appropriate clasp attachments and buying the soldier his first replacement ribbon.

[FireMedals]

muckaroon1960

Unfortunately there is no easy way to trace the name of the recipient of your Marine GCM, however research has narrowed down the time period in which some numbers were issued. I believe that number 56866 would have been issued to a Marine who enlisted in late July - early August 1918.

Nice collection. Thanks for sharing.

As Paul R. mentioned, now you need to get the reserve components medals. Fortunately most are fairly inexpensive, and a complete collection makes a great display.

FireMedals

[Bluehawk]

Also noteworthy apropos of long service, is that a USAF GCM will be granted during wartime after one full year of service.

To wit:

Criteria

It was awarded to Air Force enlisted personnel during a three-year period of active military service or for a one-year period of service during a time of war. Airmen awarded this medal must have had character and efficiency ratings of excellent or higher throughout the qualifying period including time spent in attendance at service schools, and there must have been no convictions of court martial during this period. Air Force personnel who were previously awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal and after June 1, 1963 qualified for the Air Force Good Conduct Medal could wear both medals.