Canadian Medal Grouping

[Guest Darrell]

A couple of things:

1. Is the order correct? Appears that one of the Korean Medals is in the middle of the bar ... shouldn't it be with the rest on the left.

2. What's with the way the ribbons (medals) are mounted. Shouldn't the medals to the right be underlapped with the ones to their immediate left?

[Guest Darrell]

2.

[Guest Darrell]

3.

[Guest Darrell]

4.

[Mossy]

I THINK (not entirely sure) that the UN 'Korea' medal classes as a foreign award and should be placed behind any Canadian medals.

The mounting style is weird but probably nothing wrong with it, just the original owners personal taste, or the mounters.

Sam.

[Laurence Strong]

Hi Darrell

The UN issued medals would definetly be to the left of Canadian issued medals as Sam stated

[Ed_Haynes]

A lot of thing smell wrong about this group. Is is merely a matter of a bad mounting, or is that just the tip of the iceberg? If legit, it would be interesting, and can always be remounted. The combination of Korea and OCSC service is nice, and probably very uncommon. But . . .

[Michael Johnson]

I THINK (not entirely sure) that the UN 'Korea' medal classes as a foreign award and should be placed behind any Canadian medals.

The mounting style is weird but probably nothing wrong with it, just the original owners personal taste, or the mounters.

Sam.

It's not so much that it's a foreign award, it's just that UN medals come after Canadian medals, but before Corontaions Jubilees and Long Services (which wouldn't be the case if they were "foreign".

If you post the name I will run him on the CD list I have, and might be able to find further information. The only thing I find unusual is that he managed to avoid a tour in Cyprus in a 32 year career. If he was R.C.A.S.C. or R.C.O.C. the lack of a UNEF is a bit strange but far from impossible.

[Guest Darrell]

Here's what the seller is saying about awardee:

The Korean War Medal (1), the United nations Service Medal Korea (5) are correctly named SF 2384 L J M Chiasson. The International Commission for Supervision and Control Service Medal (7) is correctly named CPL L J M Chiasson and the Canadian Forces Decoration Medal (8) is correctly named SGT L J M Chiasson.

[Guest Darrell]

Well the seller got back to me real quick (a good thing), however, look at the backing on this guy

Is that Duct-tape??

[Guest Darrell]

2.

[Michael Johnson]

2.

OK, it must be legit. The vet took the whole thing apart when he got his Peacekeeping Medal (and maybe his KVSM and SSM were mounted at the same time!).

The fact that the I.C.S.C. is named is a point in this group's favour. An un-named one would be suspicious.

[Ed_Haynes]

Agreed, Michaelji. Sounding better and better. But most incredibly UUUUUGGGGGLLLLYYYYY!!!!!

How common is it to have both Korea and ICSC (the latter being one of my favourites -- though the Canadian one is incredibly nasty -- never seen a Polish one)?

Edited May 15, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Michael Johnson]

Hmm. I have a SF-78588 Pte LJ Chiasson RCASC, who got his CD in 1964.

Could be a different man, or there could be a mistake on the Koreas, or he could have re-enlisted and somehow been given a new number - although 1964-12=1952, which looks like fairly unbroken service.

RCASC tallies well with the UNEF II, and explains the lack of a UNFICYP. My ICSC plaque is to an RCOC man, so I don't see a problem there.

The SF prefix signifies Nova Scotia, and there are lots of Acadians there.

Without seeing his file, or finding a detailed obituary I can't give a definite on this one, but my gut reaction is that it's probably legit.

I think that it is, as I said, a case of the old boy taking his set apart to slot in three new medals (and I'm sure that that's his original bar backing things up under the duct tape). Like most right-handed people he started from the left, and that's why they're overlapping the wrong way.

Edited May 16, 2006 by Michael Johnson

[Michael Johnson]

Agreed, Michaelji. Sounding better and better. But most incredibly UUUUUGGGGGLLLLYYYYY!!!!!

Hanji!

How common is it to have both Korea and ICSC (the latter being one of my favourites -- though the Canadian one is incredibly nasty -- never seen a Polish one)?

I imagine it's pretty rare in that or any other combination. Baltherwick gives 1550 awarded to 1981, and I douby any were awarded since then.

[Guest Darrell]

Good work Michael. Who knows .... maybe it has a chance. I guess I could ask the seller who he got it from and see if he has more details.

[Michael Johnson]

Good work Michael. Who knows .... maybe it has a chance. I guess I could ask the seller who he got it from and see if he has more details.

I would say that it would still be a good group to have. There aren't that many servicemen who have 32+ years of service, and the I.C.S.C. is a scarce medal, while the UNEF II isn't all that common.

He may have served in Korea, got out for a short period, then re-enlisted. I've got similar groups with WWII service. His service papers would confirm his entitlement. You might ask the dealer if he will take a return if it isn't right. I notice that two buyers who specialize in this era are going for it (kapyong and pricklysob).

There's a David Chiasson who is a Korea vet (Google search). Might be a relative.

As I said, my gut reaction is that this is good. The odds of finding four named medals with the same name and initials (and three initials at that!), the same province of enlistment, and the proper rank progression would be unbelievably high.

And if you were going to fake this, you'd never mount it backwards with duct tape! And you'd be tempted to gild the lily with a UNEF I and/or Cyprus.

Edited May 16, 2006 by Michael Johnson