Help restoring/cleaning military medals

judaspre1982 · Post by **judaspre1982** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 5:17 pm

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recurvearcher · Post by **recurvearcher** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 8:25 pm

What a great finale for those of us who have been following your project. Amazing pictures. Thanks for sharing them.

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 8:56 pm

That is one happy looking soldier!

tsaguy · Post by **tsaguy** » Sun Jan 10, 2010 7:33 am

a1gutterman wrote:That is one happy looking soldier!

Never call a Marine a soldier; never call a soldier a Marine...

Heath- your pics of your father brought a teary-eyed smile to my face. I am extremely glad you have that bond with your father that you would do such a work for him!

papahammer8 · Post by **papahammer8** » Sun Jan 10, 2010 11:04 am

heath there's a saying that's dear to a marines heart . and u have learn it well semper fi . (always faithful). god bless u and your dad. semper fi ____ jim

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Sun Jan 10, 2010 1:51 pm

[quote="tsaguy"]Never call a Marine a soldier]I wondered who wood bite! (My dad was a Marine):D

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:53 am

Well, it took the USMC around 5 years (actually, we'll blame the Department of The Navy), but they finally sent my dad the replacement awards he asked for as well as issuing him the Combat Action Ribbon. Dad got them last week and gave me the display case and the new awards and asked if I'd update the case for him.

Looking at what the accompanying checklist says he was awarded, what they sent and couldn't send, and what's available for ordering from online stores, I have some questions I'm hoping some of you military people can help me with.

They sent ribbons AND medals for National Defense Service and Vietnam Service. They didn't send any other medals, but sent ribbons for Presidential Unit Citation, and Combat Action. Is being awarded a ribbon different than being awarded the medal? Is it appropriate to order and display the accompanying medals for those ribbons? (I hope I'm using the terms "ribbon" and "medal" correctly - the "ribbon" I'm referring to is the small horizontal bar, about 1/2" tall and 1" or so wide while the "medal" has a metal medallion is about 3" long.)

The same question applies to the Foreign Awards the USMC wasn't able to send him and will have to be ordered. Those are the Vietnam Campaign Medal w/1960 Device, RVN Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross w/Palm and Frame), and RVN Meritorious Unit Citation (Civil Action Color w/Palm and Frame). Are the ribbons and medals different things or should I order both?

Included with the Vietnam Service Medal and Ribbon was two bronze stars. How should these be installed? Is that one star for the ribbon and one for the medal? Or do both stars go on only one of them? If so, which one?

Dad mentioned wanting new Marksmanship and Parachute pins as well since his originals are in rough shape. Looking at sites that sell these things (such as [url]http://www.medalsofamerica.com)[/url], his original parachute pin looks like the one for the Army (with the wings curved up to the top of the parachute). The Marine Corps parachutist pin has the wings straight out. I would like to order the right one. Does anyone have any insight on this discrepancy?

Has it really been 5 years??

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 10:40 am

heathicus wrote:Well, it took the USMC around 5 years (actually, we'll blame the Department of The Navy), but they finally sent my dad the replacement awards he asked for as well as issuing him the Combat Action Ribbon. Dad got them last week and gave me the display case and the new awards and asked if I'd update the case for him.

Looking at what the accompanying checklist says he was awarded, what they sent and couldn't send, and what's available for ordering from online stores, I have some questions I'm hoping some of you military people can help me with.

They sent ribbons AND medals for National Defense Service and Vietnam Service. They didn't send any other medals, but sent ribbons for Presidential Unit Citation, and Combat Action. Is being awarded a ribbon different than being awarded the medal? Is it appropriate to order and display the accompanying medals for those ribbons? (I hope I'm using the terms "ribbon" and "medal" correctly - the "ribbon" I'm referring to is the small horizontal bar, about 1/2" tall and 1" or so wide while the "medal" has a metal medallion is about 3" long.)

The same question applies to the Foreign Awards the USMC wasn't able to send him and will have to be ordered. Those are the Vietnam Campaign Medal w/1960 Device, RVN Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross w/Palm and Frame), and RVN Meritorious Unit Citation (Civil Action Color w/Palm and Frame). Are the ribbons and medals different things or should I order both?

Included with the Vietnam Service Medal and Ribbon was two bronze stars. How should these be installed? Is that one star for the ribbon and one for the medal? Or do both stars go on only one of them? If so, which one?

Dad mentioned wanting new Marksmanship and Parachute pins as well since his originals are in rough shape. Looking at sites that sell these things (such as [url=http://www.medalsofamerica.com)]http://www.medalsofamerica.com)[/url], his original parachute pin looks like the one for the Army (with the wings curved up to the top of the parachute). The Marine Corps parachutist pin has the wings straight out. I would like to order the right one. Does anyone have any insight on this discrepancy?

Has it really been 5 years??

I hope this helps.

terrydowning · Post by **terrydowning** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 11:35 am

Here is an other good resource.

He has all of the ribbons and devices to hold them. This page shows the correct display order.

http://www.superthinribbons.com/Category.aspx?type=Marines I worked with the guy that started this back in 1999 when I was stationed at Sheppard AFB Texas. He is still in Wichita Falls TX.

Here is the short answer to your question.

Ribbon = award that can be worn on the uniform and may or may not be associated to a medal. For formal Dress occasions, the medals are typically mounted on the rack where the ribbon would normally go. (There are a few exceptions (Medal of Honor for example)

How it is displayed in a non-official display/shadow box is entirely up to the designer.

Medals can be displayed separately with the ribbons still in the "Rack". or as represented in a formal dress (But they don't show very well.)

Mine are displayed separately but the ribbon rack is complete. Please do apply the order of precedence proscribed by each service. The superthins site linked above has the display order for all services.

Great project Heath.

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 1:04 pm

So the medal and the ribbon are two different awards, not two ways of displaying the same award?

The reason I'm confused is, on the checklist of his awards is the "National Defense Service Medal" and the "Vietnam Service Medal with 2 bronze stars."

Included in the package was a National Defense Service Medal (metal medallion hanging from a ribbon) in a snap-together plastic package. It appears designed to slide on a bar, but there was no bar. In a separate tiny ziplock bag was the National Defense Service ribbon. The ribbon included a bar (one "ribbon" long) that has two pins on it for pinning to a uniform.

The Vietnam Service Medal and ribbon were packaged together, pinned to a piece of cardboard inside a sealed plastic bag. Two bronze stars were in a separate tiny ziplock bag. I haven't opened the bag the medal and ribbon are in, but the ribbon appears to have the same bar as the National Defense Service ribbon (with two hat pins) while the medal has a long safety pin style pin.

Then, on his checklist, is the "Presidential Unity Citation Ribbon" and the "Combat Action Ribbon." Those ribbons were included in individual tiny ziplock bags, but with no bars or pins.

Looking at sites like http://www.medalsofamerica.com, I see there is a "Combat Action Commemorative Medal" and a "Presidential Unit Citation Commemorative Medal." I hadn't noticed the "Commemorative" until just now. What does that signify?

His Foreign Awards (three from the Republic of Vietnam) could not be sent by the USMC so I'll be ordering those. They are listed on the checklist from the USMC as:

Vietnam Campaign Medal w/1960 Device
Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross w/Palm and Frame) ribbon bar
Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Civil Action Color w/Palm and Frame) ribbon bar

But, likewise, I see "ribbons" and "medals" at MedalsOfAmerica.com

The "Campaign" medal is not listed as "commemorative."

And I'm totally confused on the two Meritorious Unit Citations. The "Medal" options are:

RVN Gallantry Cross Medal with Palm (it has no frame)
Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Commemorative Medal (no frame or palm)
RVN Civil Action Honor Medal 1st Class (no frame or palm)
RVN Civil Action Honor Medal 2nd Class (no frame or palm)
RVN Civil Actions Unit Citation Commemorative Medal (no frame or palm)

Furthermore, included with the paperwork was a form to apply for the "Cold War Recognition Certificate." Looking at MedalsOfAmerica.com again, I see a Cold War Commemorative Medal, and a Cold War Commemorative Ribbon.

So my current list of questions:

1) What do I do with the two bronze star devices for the Vietnam Service medal and ribbon? Attach one star to each? Two stars to only one of them?

2) Why did the USMC send some ribbons with accompanying medals, but other ribbons with no accompanying medals? Does it have anything to do with those medals being "commemorative"?

3) What does "commemorative" medals and ribbons mean? How are they different?

4) Is it appropriate to purchase those "commemorative" medals to display along with his ribbons?

5) Is it appropriate to go ahead and purchase the "Cold War" commemorative ribbon and medal to display while the application form is being processed?