Bronze Star production error?

[JensF.]

I just came across these photos showing Air Force members being awarded with the Bronze Star Medal and found a funny little detail: Both Bronze Stars are showing the revers as front but the ribbon/pin is correctly attached. It seems they were mounted with the backside as front due to a production error and nobody ever realised that! Were the quality inspectors drunk? Its also interesting to see, that they are not engraved So the US are doing the same we do with our medals; saving money whereever possible?

http://www.whiteman.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/070730-F-1199H-003.jpg

http://www.whiteman.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/071128-F-1333S-004.JPG

Edited April 1, 2013 by JensF.

[Paul R]

Looks like it is the unit's presentation example. I would be interested to see the medal that was given to him(in the case). It may be like that intentionally so that it does not "walk off".

[JBFloyd]

These look like the very recent strikes with huge gaps in the upper loop of the pendant. The gaps are so large that the pendant commonly falls off in storage and handling. Whoever was putting them back together, simply did so backwards.

[922F]

Yeah, and ID tag holders seem the preferred AF hanging system!! ....oooops, sorry Jeff..... Now if he was a Marine....... Just ex-Army humor......

[JensF.]

I think they use these ID tag holders for all medal presentations in the US Armed Forces, I saw it on all photos from all branches. I had to reply on that one because I am Air Force (German Reserve) too

I checked all Bronze Stars in my collection, all have a closed loop; so star and loop are made in one piece.

Edited April 2, 2013 by JensF.

[Harvey]

There's a very simple explanation for why the medals appear backwards when clipped onto the airmen's uniforms: they are upside down.

If you look at both pictures, the ribbons are hanging loosely from the metal plates that hold the ends of the ribbon together. The ID tag holder was then inserted underneath the pin clasp, but was done backwards. Thus, when the commander picks up the medal to clip it to the uniform, the only way it will go is if the medal is inverted, thus showing the reverse of the medal when it is attached to the uniform. Once the ID tag holder is removed, the medal can simply be flipped over to the correct position with the obverse showing.