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    Mounting of Military Medals


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    As I mentioned on several other threads on this forum I have medal collections from South Africa, UK and the US,

    We are in the process of moving and once the dust settles I want to mount each collection according to the relevant military specifications. In the case of South African medals I have been very reliable informed that full-size medals should be mounted in such a way that the total distance from the top of the ribbon to the bottom of the medal itself is exactly 10 centimeters while with miniatures it is 5 centimeters. The effect then is that the top of all the ribbons and bottom of the medals forms a level horizontal line.

    Does anyone perhaps know what the prescribed length of the ''drop'' is for US medals, both full size and miniatures?

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    Can't speak to prescribed length, but my full size medals average about 3", and miniatures are just under 2-1/4"  I've worn them for years and no one has complained yet.  

     

    Hugh

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    • 3 weeks later...
    On 01/08/2019 at 14:18, Wessel Gordon said:

    As I mentioned on several other threads on this forum I have medal collections from South Africa, UK and the US,

    We are in the process of moving and once the dust settles I want to mount each collection according to the relevant military specifications. In the case of South African medals I have been very reliable informed that full-size medals should be mounted in such a way that the total distance from the top of the ribbon to the bottom of the medal itself is exactly 10 centimeters while with miniatures it is 5 centimeters. The effect then is that the top of all the ribbons and bottom of the medals forms a level horizontal line.

    Does anyone perhaps know what the prescribed length of the ''drop'' is for US medals, both full size and miniatures?

    Mounting and wearing US medals depends on the uniform regulations of the particular branch of service. The Army and Air Force require medals to be mounted in multiple rows as needed, without any overlap. They must be mounted in the correct order of precedence and the bottom edges of the awards must be on an even line. The Navy and Marine Corps are permitted to overlap awards on the uniform. The Marines are particular in that appurtenances such as award or campaign stars must be mounted vertically in the center of the ribbon, to allow for proper display while overlapping medal ribbons.  

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    Dmiller,

    Thanks again. I have medals of all the US military branches with the exception of the navy and coastguard. I just ordered a bunch of miniatures and a US firm has posted ribbons of the medals I had at the point of ordering the ribbons so my plan is to get all my US medals together once everything arrive, order the appropriate ribbons and a ribbon mounting rack then follow strict rules of precedence.

    The reason I did not order a complete ribbon rack already is that I have a copy of a Medal of Honor (Air Force) with a display box, lapel pin and ribbon and the firm that sent me the other ribbons informed me that they are forbidden by law to supply ribbons or anything to do with the Medal of Honor. Considering their main business is supplying the military with medals etc it's unfair of me to expect them to supply me with something as simple as a ribbon that they are expressly not allowed to do.

     

    Edited by Wessel Gordon
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