US Coast Guard / US Navy Medal Bar

[Paul R]

I just picked up this 1970s-1980s medal bar! Although it is not named, it is a really cool combination of awards for under 20 dollars. I hope that you all like it!

[paul wood]

Less tha 20 dollars, I wonder what the guy who won them did to get them, seems awfully cheap for a nicely mounted group, these are full-sized not minis?

Paul

[Hugh]

Looks as though this guy may have taken part in the Cuban missile crisis. That's the same set of campaign medals I got for Cuba.

[Rogi]

Sweet find Paul looks mighty fine :D

[Chris Boonzaier]

Sweet find Paul looks mighty fine

Indeed!

almost a crime to sell groups at that price!

[Paul R]

Thanks all. Hugh, which medals did you get for the Cuban Missile Crisis? The Navy Expeditionary Service Medal or the Armed Forces Expeditionary Service Medal? I would have figured the Armed Forces Expeditionary Service Medal to have been related to Vietnam(service in Taiwan or etc). Were you in the Navy or Coast Guard?

Yeah, the price was too great to give up on, especially since it was Coast Guard.

[muckaroon1960]

Great set of medals. Are any maker marked or numbered?

[Paul R]

I have not checked. Where will we find the markings? On the ring?

[muckaroon1960]

On the rim of the medal you may find a makers mark for the likes of Simco or E H Simon (same company) or a (V) for Volupte.

Also on the suspender there may be a mark or G code?

[Hugh]

Thanks all. Hugh, which medals did you get for the Cuban Missile Crisis? The Navy Expeditionary Service Medal or the Armed Forces Expeditionary Service Medal? I would have figured the Armed Forces Expeditionary Service Medal to have been related to Vietnam(service in Taiwan or etc). Were you in the Navy or Coast Guard?

Yeah, the price was too great to give up on, especially since it was Coast Guard.

Believe it or not, I got all three for Cuba: Navy expeditionary, National Defense (or whatever we call that red and yellow one) and Armed Forces Expeditionary. The ship was already down in GTMO for RefTra before the President's speech, so that was Navy Expeditionary, and then they gave us Armed Forces Expeditionary for sailing in circles escorting the Marine landing force. Somehow NAtional Defense snuck in the middle.

[Paul R]

The National Defense Service Medal was established during the Vietnam period between: January 1, 1961 – August 14, 1974. You would have been covered for your period of service. Were you Navy or Coast Guard?

The Navy Expeditionary Service Medal is the only one I can see that is marked. It is the (V) for Volupte. Ironically, it is a high quality strike, whereas the others are not as well made.

[Hugh]

Sorry, forgot to answer. I was Navy, serving in USS Robert L. Wilson (DDE - 847) in DesRon 36, Part of Task Force Bravo, an ASW task force.

I think there was a period when National Defense Service wasn't awarded, because I wasn't eligible for it when I came out of the Naval Academy in June '61. People who were eligible for it in the earlier period got a star to wear on it when it was reinstated.

Best,

Hugh

Edited November 29, 2013 by Hugh

[Ulsterman]

Pretty cool. I did not know they gave the Armed Forces Expeditionary medal for Cuba.

[army historian]

Yes really cool group appears to be Vietnam and Cuban Missile crisis.

[Hugh]

Yes really cool group appears to be Vietnam and Cuban Missile crisis.

Viet Nam? He's missing the US Viet Nam Service (yellow w/ green edges and three red center stripes and the RVN medal (green and white stripes). I seem to remember that very early in our involvement, they gave the Armed Forces Expeditionary instead of the US VN Service, but don't know the dates.

[NavyFCO]

There's a pretty comprehensive list online on the wiki page about the actions that were awarded the AFEM:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_Forces_Expeditionary_Medal

There are a ton of actions that could result in the Navy Expeditionary...I have yet to find a comprehensive list.

Slightly off topic, I found this interesting .pdf while searching around about combat insignias: http://afehri.maxwell.af.mil/Documents/pdf/HISTORY%20OF%20COMBAT%20SERVICE%20INSIGNIAS.pdf

As an side, I was also awarded both of these medals.

Dave

[army historian]

There's a pretty comprehensive list online on the wiki page about the actions that were awarded the AFEM:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_Forces_Expeditionary_Medal

There are a ton of actions that could result in the Navy Expeditionary...I have yet to find a comprehensive list.

Slightly off topic, I found this interesting .pdf while searching around about combat insignias: http://afehri.maxwell.af.mil/Documents/pdf/HISTORY%20OF%20COMBAT%20SERVICE%20INSIGNIAS.pdf

As an side, I was also awarded both of these medals.

Dave

The best site for the Navy Expeditionary Medal is: http://www.history.navy.mil/medals/nem.htm altho it seems to be missing campaigns after Wake. The rest are from another site:

• Thailand: May 16 - August 10, 1962
• Cuba: January 3, 1961 - October 23, 1962
• Iran, Yemen, & Indian Ocean: December 8, 1978 - June 6, 1979
• Iran, Yemen, & Indian Ocean: November 21, 1979 - October 1, 1981
• Lebanon: August 20, 1982 - May 31, 1983
• Lebanon: June 1, 1983 to March 4, 1984*
• Libya: January 20 - June 27, 1986
• Persian Gulf: February 1 - July 23, 1987
• Monrovia, Liberia (Sharp Edge): August 5, 1990 - February 21, 1991
• Rwanda (Distant Runner): April 7-18, 1994
• USS Cole Operations (Determined Response): October 12 2000 to December 15, 2002

* For service in Lebanon between June 1, 1983 and March 4, 1984, the service member may choose either the Navy Expeditionary Medal (or Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, depending on Service component) or the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

Edited December 11, 2013 by army historian

[NavyFCO]

The best site for the Navy Expeditionary Medal is: http://www.history.navy.mil/medals/nem.htm altho it seems to be missing campaigns after Wake. The rest are from another site:

• Thailand: May 16 - August 10, 1962
• Cuba: January 3, 1961 - October 23, 1962
• Iran, Yemen, & Indian Ocean: December 8, 1978 - June 6, 1979
• Iran, Yemen, & Indian Ocean: November 21, 1979 - October 1, 1981
• Lebanon: August 20, 1982 - May 31, 1983
• Lebanon: June 1, 1983 to March 4, 1984*
• Libya: January 20 - June 27, 1986
• Persian Gulf: February 1 - July 23, 1987
• Monrovia, Liberia (Sharp Edge): August 5, 1990 - February 21, 1991
• Rwanda (Distant Runner): April 7-18, 1994
• USS Cole Operations (Determined Response): October 12 2000 to December 15, 2002

* For service in Lebanon between June 1, 1983 and March 4, 1984, the service member may choose either the Navy Expeditionary Medal (or Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, depending on Service component) or the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

Unfortunately, there are still others missing from the list...I earned mine in 2009, for example, and its not on there at all... I doubt a comprehensive list will ever exist, sadly...

[Paul R]

Less tha 20 dollars, I wonder what the guy who won them did to get them, seems awfully cheap for a nicely mounted group, these are full-sized not minis?

Paul

Paul, I am sorry to have missed your message. They are indeed full sized medals.

I really think that the Navy and the Marine Corps expeditionary Service Medals are really pretty cool. Is it true that they did away with the Marine Corps version?

[paul wood]

Amazing you couldn't even have a decent nights drinking for $20. If I saw a mounted group at a fair for that price I would be tempted to buy it even though it is not my collecting field. I certainly am not aware of the Marine Corps version being discontinued and as I know a few ex marines at OMSA I am sure it would have come up over a few beers.

Paul

[army historian]

Unfortunately, there are still others missing from the list...I earned mine in 2009, for example, and its not on there at all... I doubt a comprehensive list will ever exist, sadly...

I was not aware of this - thanks for the infromation. What did you get your NEM for in 2009? Thanks

[NavyFCO]

I was not aware of this - thanks for the infromation. What did you get your NEM for in 2009? Thanks

It was for a combined operation we did with the Royal Navy.

We applied for the Armed Forces Service Medal, as the criteria was more fitting for what we did, but the final approval came back for the Navy Expeditionary Medal.

Dave