IDENTIFICATIONS REQUESTED: No. 78-12 -- F. C. Brown [#2073] & V. R. Brook [#1814] requests identification of the following : A 38 mm. wide green with a 12 mm. center red stripe holds the Territoire Autonome Nung Medal planchet which is a 34 ram. diameter gold circle, containing a 5 ram. circular border with the words TERRITOIRE AUTONOME NUNG on the upper half, preceeded and followed by a 3 ~. raised Star. Centered at the bottom is the word VIET - NAM. All lettering is in 3 ram. raised capital letters. The outer and inner edges of the circle are raised, as are all the letters. Within the center circle is a raised Chinese jtmk, port side, with Chinese characters near the bow and stern. Backgrotmd of the circle sur- rounding the junk is a hammered surface. A 5 attachment holds a 15 ram. diameter suspension ring. T1~e reverse is a smooth polished surface. Weight of the planchet is 13.7 grams. The ribbon is dark green. Nungs are originally from the China-North Vietnam border area, along the coast. However, they fought with the French against the Viet Minh in 1946-54, and subsequently sought refuge in South Vietnm~ when that nation ~¢as partitioned. Their fierce anti-communist reputation is well deserved, and they went on to fight with the Americans against the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese, in such elite units as Special Forces "Mike Strike Force" and Provincial Reconnaissance Units. Some sources have indicated that the medal was struck by the Frenc]~ and issued to Nung forces in 1956, when the French were exiting Vietnam, for the faith and allegiance shown by the Nungs. This, however, is only speculation. Inquiries at home as well as in France have turned up nothing. Any (IMSA members having knowledge of this decoration will be greatly appreciated.

No. 78-13 -- F. C. Brown [#2073] & V. R. Brook [#1814] requests identification on the following medal: This particular North Vietnamese breast insignia, captured in the I Corps Region of South Vietnam in 1971, is composed of two parts, The top is a 18 ram. by 4.5 ~. red enameled rectangle having a 1 mm, gold border and a 3.5 ram. five pointed gold colored star in the center. A gold suspension ring 3 ~a. in diameter holds a brass attachment ring Which joins the top rectangle to a bottom gold mullet 21 ram. in diameter. Each arm of the star has a center ridge. Radiating upward from the horizontal arms are 13 rays which are covered with clear enamel. Above the rays is a curved red enameled quarter circle 3 ram. wide containing the words QUYET THANG (Vietnamese for l{~soZz~ To ~") in raised gold capital letters 2 mm. high. All of this is enclosed with a 1 mm. gold border. At either end of the quarter circle is a parallelogram enameled red measuring 5 by 3 ram., the bases of which rest on the edges of the horizontal arms but extend 1 ram. past the points. The parallelograms have a gold border 0.3 mm. wide. 31 The reverse is flat except for the star and letters which are indented, indicating the piece was stanDed with a one piece die. The reverse of the upper portion has a center horizontal channel 17 ~m~. long and 1 ram. wide. ~lidway along the channes on either side is.a 7 ~n. long by 1.5 mm. wide piece which holds a safety pin type clasp in the channel. Weight of the entire piece is 1.7 grams. Knowledgeable sources have indicated that this insignia was probably manufactured in Hanoi or the Peoples Republic of China. The colors red and gold, and particularly the absence of the color blue, as well as the motto rrF~ml~ ~Z~ ~ ~% point to this being a North Vietnamese piece rather than Viet Cong.

QUESTIONS: What is the actual name of this decoration? Was it awarded for combat or meritorious service? Did a certificate accompany the ?

No. 78-14 -- Clayton Lucy [#2818] requests identification of this medal: This is a Turkish medal, approximately 2 inches [80 rm~.] in diameter, is bronze with a tri-color ribbon of red, yellow and white from left in toward the medal itself On the obverse is the bust of K. Ataturk and the dates 1881-1938. The reverse has the inscription:

DAHI KURUCUMUZ~ / EBED~ MINNET VE S~KRAN / H~TIRASI

REVERSE

OBVERSE I would appreciate it if any OMSA member could help me identify this medal by telling me what it is and why it was awarded. ADDENDUM - THE ROYAL OF KING GEORGE TUBOU I, OF TONGA MC Vol. 29, No. 3, March 1978, [page 28] by Ernest J. Fischer Mr. Fischer writes: ~ short article has generated several comments and responses which should be shared with the general readership. Robert McNamara was the first to respond and he provided the fol.lowing new information: A star in the ANS New York collection has four gilt crowns diagonally placed around the medallion. A Second Class star has a single gilt crown above the medallion and the to that set is suspended from a i0 ram. white, 20 ram. yellow, i0 ram. white ribbon. A badge has a red enameled motto ring and a ribbon composed of 1-1/2 ~n. red, 5-1/2 ram. blue 21 ram. red, 5-I/2 ~n. blue and i-i/2 ram. red. He also stated that a "Life" article of July 4, 1967~ portrayed the present King, Taufa’ahau Tupou IV, wearing a and two Stars. Dragomir Acovic informed me that the Order existed in five classes, convirmed that the Grand Cross star had four gilt crowns placed around the central medalion but that the crotons were placed on the vertical and horizontal s~is, and that the Grand Cross was white with red edge stripes while the Commander ribbon was white with three red stripes. He also translated the Order’s Motto, KOE OTUA MOTOGA KO ROKU TOFIA, as "My in~e~i~ee e~n~i~ ~f ~e~ ~=~ ~e=~. ~ Mr. Acovic stated that in addition to the three described in Neville Packett’s (l\fl~S article, there exists a Collar decoration and another Commander-type decoration. McLoughlin reported, [~r. Acovic wrote me], that a Royal Family Order of Tonga was established in 1965.

COLLECTORS MARKET PLACE WANTED - An example of the medal presented by Mrs. J. Brown to the Officers and Crew of the ~M~ ~p~i~ for their service in rescu- ing survivors of the ~ ~i~e on April 15, 1912. Also any other medal de~ling with the ~¢~ie sinking.

DAN FAREK #1880, 3226 ROCHDALE, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77025 MILITARY MEDALS: United States (including state, local and miscellaneous medals). Some original Nazi, British, French and (?) Also wings, , etc. Satisfaction guaranteed! Buy - Sell - Trade. Current list 25¢ BILL FINKLER (OMSA #2407) 17353 BOSWELL PLACE, GRANADA HILLS, CA. 9134~ 1978 CATALOG of Rare MILITARY BOOKS, BRITISH WAR MEDALS, WAR RELICS, U.S. INSIGNIA, plus, New MILITARY BOOKS CATALOG. Just 35 Cents in Coin or Stamps for mailing costs.

PETER HLINKA, P.O. BOX 310, NEW YORK, NY 10028 UNITED STATES REPLACEMENT RIBBON

ARMY ist TYPE CIVIL WAR, INDIAN WARS, SPANISH WAR & PHILIPPINE INSURECTION. NAVY & B~RINE CORPS ist TYPE WEST INDIES/SPANISH, CHINA-BOXER & PHILIPPINE, POSTPAID @ .50¢ PER INCH. MOST OTHER U. S. MILITARY RIBBON AVAILABLE @ .25¢ PER INCN. MINIMUM ORDER $5.00 PLEASE. SEND LARGE SASE FOR LIST OF RIBBON BARS, DEVICES AND OTHER MISCELANEOUS ITEMS AVAILABLE.

DONALD W. NIXON BOX 64190, LOS ANGELES, CA. 90064

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