Is Captain Eddie Over-decorated?

[filfoster]

This photo is of Eddie Rickenbacker's surviving uniform blouse from the First World War. Let's assume it's real and of the period as it does not include his MOH awarded when one of his EIGHT Distinguished service crosses was upgraded to the MOH in 1930. As I understand it, the rules for subsequent awards are as follows:

The ribbon itself represents the first award; a bronze oak leaf represents a single subsequent award and a silver oak leaf (here, the look like French Croix de Guerre palm leaves) represents FIVE subsequent awards.  Here, Rickenbacker's tailor or someone has really gone outside the box.

He wears TWO DSC ribbons (OK, maybe allowable for the many awards of this medal....but...the first ribbon shows a single Bronze leaf and two silver ones. That'd be 12 awards for that first position ribbons, right?

The second ribbon bears four silver leaves which would be 21! counting the ribbon itself. So he's showing 33 awards?  I'm sure that's not what he intended so....

It's most likely that the photo gives a false view of the colors of the leaves and that they're all bronze, which would then square it except the second ribbon would technically make the total display for 9 awards. I'm guessing that's what's going on.

Does anyone have a better picture of this uniform or at least his ribbons?

 

The more I study this photo, the more it seems that the camera has played the trick because the undeniably bronze leaves on the Croix de Guerre also look the same silver-ish shade as the DSC ones.  

Well, Ok. As Emily Littella (Gilda Radner) used to say on SNL: "Never mind..."

Edited June 13, 2020 by filfoster

[muckaroon1960]

Research indicates that Rickenbacker was awarded seven DSC's during WW1. If that's the case (and please correct me if I'm wrong) then there should be one bronze and one silver oak leaf on his ribbon? 

Edited June 14, 2020 by muckaroon1960

[gjw]

Hi, the silver OLC wasn't authorized until 1947.  I think the "silver" OLC looks "silver" due to lighting perhaps.

There is a picture of him after the war wearing his full size medals and the OLC's are the correct amount awarded to him during the war.

Best,

 

Greg