Resource available for total medals issued?

[Wessel Gordon]

My initial interest in medals started with medals of the old SADF but it has since been eclipsed by an interest in US medals and decorations.

Is there some resource available as to roughly how many of each medal was issued since it was instituted or is that just wishful daydreaming on my part?

Kind regards,

Wessel

 

I do realize that with ongoing conflicts around the world that there would never be a definitive number issued of certain medals but since I want to research the US medals I own thumb-sucking numbers issued isn't going to do it for me.

[muckaroon1960]

 Here's a few approximate figures on medals issued by the US Government:

Up to June 2010 an estimated 1.9 million Purple Hearts had been issued since the medal was established in 1932, over 500,000 of these since the end of WW2. 

 6,900 Navy Crosses.

13,400 Distinguished Service Crosses.

197 Air Force Crosses (since 1964).

If you also take into consideration the amount of US service personnel who served in various conflicts you can begin to understand the numbers of service medals issued. Over 2 million in WW1, more than 12 million in WW2, 326,000 in Korea, 2.5 million in Vietnam and 425,000 in the first Gulf War.

[Wessel Gordon]

Thanks Muckaroon

As I mentioned in my first post it's probably impossible to get accurate counts for several reasons among them destroyed/mislaid records, ongoing conflicts etc.