The U.S. Merchant Marine.

[ChrisKelly]

A few "bits and bobs"...

 

[ChrisKelly]

[ChrisKelly]

[ChrisKelly]

[Gordon Craig]

Nice thread.  We don't see enough threads on the U.S. Merchant marine.

Regards,

Gordon

[TracA]

Chris,

 

I agree with Gordon. Great thread.

 

Tracy

[ChrisKelly]

Below are links to the U.S. Militaria Forum.  They work.  I tested them.

 

I know it's a lot easier to see pictures than to read some long narrative.  That can make your eyes hurt, to say the least. 

 

The first link is an absolutely fabulous, comprehensive gallery of U.S. Merchant Marine ratings insignia.  Much more than my small collection.  The second link shows some other insignia, including uniform buttons.

 

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16304-1940-usmerchant-marine-ratings/#comment-110393

 

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/305061-us-maritime-service-merchant-marine-buttons/#comment-2451206

 

[ChrisKelly]

I bought this commemorative medal from the U.S. Mint this past June.  Price was $20USD plus $5.95USD for shipping within the continental U.S.A.  

 

 

This is most of my collection [about "98.6%"] of Second World War U.S. Merchant Marine insignia.  

 

Edited Wednesday at 21:45 by ChrisKelly

[ChrisKelly]

A comparison of U.S. Merchant Marine World War Two Victory Medals.  

 

"The Merchant Marine World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States Merchant Marine established by an Act of Congress on August 8, 1946. The decoration is awarded to officers and men of the U.S. Merchant Marine who served aboard American-flagged merchant ships for at least 30 days between December 7, 1941, and September 2, 1945."

 

From:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_Marine_World_War_II_Victory_Medal

 

In these images, the first and second medals from the left are 1947-1950s issues.  Third from the left is a 1980s production from Lordship Industries Group International, and the reverse of the pin bar is hallmarked "L.I.G.I"  The right-most medal is a modern issue and its pinback bar is hallmarked "Vanguard" on the reverse.

 

See also:

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2012-title46-vol8/xml/CFR-2012-title46-vol8-part350.xml

 

[ChrisKelly]

By no means is the list below exhaustive, but does provide some insight on the U.S. Merchant Marine. Apparently, the coin I bought from he U.S. Mint is a reproduction of the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to the U.S. Merchant Marine in 2020, in recognition of Second World War service.

 

https://www.americanmaritimepartnership.com/press-releases/president-trump-honors-wwii-merchant-mariners-with-congressional-gold-medal/

 

https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3037882/wwii-merchant-mariners-receive-congressional-gold-medal/

 

http://www.usmm.org/strugglevetstatus.html

 

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/merchant-marine-world-war-ii

 

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-30-mn-10163-story.html

 

Edited yesterday at 01:43 by ChrisKelly

[Megan]

Fascinating stuff - although my area is medals, it's interesting to see all the uniform items... I'd never realised that merchant sailors wore them to such an extent.

[ChrisKelly]

Addenda:

 

The World War Two Victory Medal was the only campaign medal available to U.S. Merchant Seamen in 1946.  The Atlantic, Pacific and Mediterranean-Middle East War Zone Bars were created by "An Act Of Congress" on 10 May 1944 and did not become actual medals until 1992.

 

The Defense Bar, the equivalent to the military's American Defense Service Medal, was created by "An Act Of Congress" on 14 August 1944, and became a medal in 1992.

 

The Combat Bar was established on 10 May 1943 by the U.S. Congress, and is equivalent to the USN-USMC Combat Action Ribbon.  It remains a ribbon bar with no medal.

 

Also, on 10 May 1943, the U.S. Congress created the Mariner's Medal, which is the U.S.M.M.'s equivalent to the military's Purple Heart.

 

In 1956 and 1968 respectively, the U.S. Congress created ribbon bars for Merchant Marine participation in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and they became medals in 1992.  The Merchant Marine Expeditionary Medal was established in 1992, and recognizes service in all campaigns post - Vietnam War.

 

The U.S. Maritime Administration established the Merchant Marine Distiguished Service Medal on 11 April 1942.  Only 152 have been awarded, 30 of them posthumously.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Merchant Marine Meritoruous Service Medal on 29 August 1944, and since then 521 have bern awarded.  Both are still awarded. The U.S.M.A. created the Merchant Marine Medal For Outstanding Achievement in 2002.

 

Sources:

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awards_and_decorations_of_the_United_States_Merchant_Marine

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20070625061117/http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=6d6ec8876126cefbf2ae5f2907ce08f0&rgn=div5&view=text&node=46:8.0.1.11.48&idno=46

 

https://www.maritime.dot.gov/outreach/mariner-medals

 

http://www.usmm.org/medallaws.html#dsm1

 

Images of a display showing U.S. Merchant Marine medals.  The medal on the bottom row at the extreme right in images 1, 2 & 5 is the U.S. Merchant Marine Expeditionary Medal.

 

Source:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/176523549561?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=176523549561&targetid=2295557533630&device=m&mktype=pla&googleloc=1027271&poi=&campaignid=21415037908&mkgroupid=173029509028&rlsatarget=pla-2295557533630&abcId=9450163&merchantid=6296724&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAxqC6BhBcEiwAlXp45x5w--m7JTy-YWXmMaa7RXIOfyxpQdO-6in4NE5kEC0EdYglK5oWOxoCjk4QAvD_BwE

 

 

The U.S. Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal.

 

Source:

 

https://ianewatts.org/medal-merchant-marine-distinguished-service-medal-2/

 

Edited 3 hours ago by ChrisKelly

[ChrisKelly]

The Mariner's Medal.

 

Source:

 

http://www.militarywives.com/index.php/federal-medal-descriptions/1259-merchant-marine-mariner-s-medal

 

 

Awards available to the U.S. Merchant Marine as full - sized medals during and shortly after the Second World War:

 

Image 1: Distinguished Service Medal.

Image 2: Meritoruous Service Medal.

Image 3: Mariner's Medal.

Image 4: World War II Victory Medal.

 

Source:

 

http://www.medalmulisha.com/merchant-marine.html

 

Edited 3 hours ago by ChrisKelly

[ChrisKelly]

The U.S. Merchant Marine Expeditionary Medal and the U.S. Merchant Marine Medal For Outstanding Achievement.  The reverse is common to the Defense, Atlantic, Pacific, Mediterranean-Middle East, Korea and Vietnam Medals.

 

Sources:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155944309043

 

https://www.vfmr-ordersandmedals.com/epages/vfmr-ordersandmedals_com.mobile/pt_PT/?ObjectPath=/Shops/vfmr-ordersandmedals_com/Products/ae052&Locale=pt_PT

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by ChrisKelly

[ChrisKelly]

U.S. Merchant Seamen were also given medals by the goverment of the Phillipines, for those who participated or were present for the defense (1941), liberation (1944-1945) or independence (1946) of that island nation.  The miniature of the Phillipine Defense Medal is slightly different in design than the full sized medal (image 3).  These are official government awards.

 

Sources:

 

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/wwii-philippine-made-medal-lot-defence-liberation-479-c-fda4b0ab78

 

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/the-philippine-defense-medal-instituted-in-1944-1651-c-684479ca2e