US medals

[Jerry T]

Hello,

Greetings from the Great White North.

I like to ask a question about US medals. We are all aware of the Stolen Valor Act and I do not want to get into that subject.

However, companies like Graco Ind. offer on there website just about any medal the US ever issued. I can buy Purple Hearts, Distinguished service medals and crosses and just about any thing else. For a few hundred dollars I can make myself out to be a real war hero.

Yet sales of legitimately issued medals of many classes is against the law.

As a collectors I could acquire an impressive collection of awards that have never been within a mile of a real soldier. I see these items here at flea markets and hobby shows. I cannot help wondering why a country that normally respects it Armed Forces does not set stricter standards for the availability of its medals. In most countries the medals are only available from the government and only to those who were actually awarded them. (I know France is also one of the few exceptions.)

I would love to buy some Canadian medals, but unless the estate of a recipient is willing to sell, I am out of luck. (A soldier is not allowed to sell his or her own medals)

Since Graco is a government contractor, we cannot call these medals fakes. We can call them re-strikes, but that could imply replacing a lost or stolen medal, but some of these conflicts were over a hundred years ago.

Anyway, I was just wondering.

[army historian]

well you are correct - The companies that produce the medals and decorations (to government specs) are allowed to sell anything short of the MOH. I kind of look on this as similar to the Imperial German States with jeweler's replacements and wearing copies. Recently the British, and Australians have produced "wearing" copies). Many US servicemen from the WW2 ear and after did "buy" their medals or have military tailors mount (non original issues, for wearing). So this makes things very confusing. I believe the French are very similar to the US. So unless you are looking at named, numbered, or older mounted groups - tracing becomes a problem. You have to also remember the US was not as up front (or as good) with awarding, or issuing medals and decorations as other Nations. Captain Albert

Edited March 24, 2013 by army historian