Belgium Korea ONU medal

[Brigade-Piron]

Hello,

Just a question I've had on my mind for a few months now.

Belgian UNO medals, like mine below, are "meant" to have a COREE-KOREA (or similar) bar, but I have observed about a douzen for sale - from different sellers, in different countries and with different fastenings - that lack this bar. I am sure that some medals might have lost the bar, but it seems unlikely that it would be so common.

So what other explanation is there? Could it be that soldiers in Korea after the armistace got the medal, but not the bar?

Here is my example:

I'd welcome your comments.

Best wishes,

BP

[Brett Hendey]

Kevin R Ingraham in his book, 'Honors, Medals and Awards of the Korean War 1950 - 1953' has this to say about the Belgian UN Korea Medal:

"Belgium originally issued the standard French coinage. The unique Belgian style was a private purchase item which later became the official issue. It has a raised rim and a ring suspension, deleting the claw and bar of other coinages. The obverse is signed "J. DEMERET". The obverse is the same as the reverse of the Belgian Overseas Operation Medal"

Regards

Brett

[Brigade-Piron]

Interesting that he doesn't mention the bar? It is a shame that it does not state its issue dates.

[Brett Hendey]

He does mention the bar - ".... a ring suspension, deleting the claw and bar of other coinages".

[Taz]

UN Medal for service in Korea - Belgian issue.

No. of Clasps - One, Bronze, slide on type, 38mm long and 5mm deep with the inscription in relief of 3mm "COREE-COREA" - All volunteers of the Battalion Belge who qualified for the medal are entitled to this clasp.

Medal Qualification - For Belgian personnel, one day's service under United Nations command in Korea or the adjacent areas, which included Japan and Okinawa, between 27th June, 1950 and 27th July 1953.

UN Medal for service in Korea - French issue.

No. of Clasps - One, an integral part of the suspension. ‘COREE’ - (KOREA) in French, All volunteers of the Battalion Belge who qualified for the medal are entitled to this clasp.

Medal Qualification - For French personnel one day's service under United Nations command in Korea or the adjacent areas, which included Japan and Okinawa, between 27th June 1950 and 27th July 1953.

For French Canadian personnel, service under United Nations command in Korea or the adjacent areas, which included Japan and Okinawa, between 27th June 1950 and 24th July 1954, and served one day or more.

All officers and other ranks of the French Canadian Forces

The eligibility of those units were published in General Orders by the United Nations Commander-in-Chief, Members of specially approved civilian categories who were certified by the United Nations Commander-in-Chief as having directly supported military operations in Korea,

providing they wore the approved uniform of their organisation and served one or

more days. This included:-

(1) Cable and Wireless Detachments.

(2) Canadian Red Cross.

(3) Salvation Army, YMCA and WVS.

French coinage UN Medal only issued when requested by Francophone

recipients.

So according to this, people who qualified for the Medal are also qualified for the clasp, in effect someone who served during the conflict would always have the bar.

Regards Eddie

[Taz]

No Medals for service in Korea were issued after 27th July 1954, the UN’s arbitrarily imposed cut-off date for the issuance of the United Nations Korea Medal apart from the below exceptions.

The Military forces of the Netherlands were awarded the medal for service up to January 1st, 1955 and the militaries of Thailand and Sweden granted the award to July 27th, 1955.

After the cease-fire, it was seen as unnecessary to keep BUNC up to the strength it had during the war and it was reduced to some 200 men on 30th December 1954. However, like other UN contingents it was viewed as necessary to maintain a presence and the last members of the unit finally left Korea on 15th June 1955.

In my opinion these would also have the Korea bar if they served in Korea ( or in post #5 stated areas) from 27th June, 1950 to 27th July 1954.

After this date there should be no offical awardings for Belgian troops. (27th July 1954 - 15th June 1955).

Could the Medals without clasps be unissued examples? I say that because if you were eligiable for the Medal as such, you automatically met the reqirements for the clasp.

Edited August 1, 2012 by Taz