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Figure 19: Colonel John W. Cotton’s brevet for the Al Valore Militare Cross. The transition from the Savoy monarchy to the Republic 20 shows a Cross of Military Valor that was somewhat of Italy resulted in some Royal decorations being crudely modified by stamping a large X over the Royal modified to demonstrate the change of authority. Figure monogram on the reverse upper arm.10 A small letter A Vol. 65, No. 1 (January-February 2014) 11 5. Gillingham, op. cit., p. 27-28. 6. Jeffrey R. Jacob. Court Jewelers of the World. New Jersey: Postgraduate International, 1978, p. 59. 7. Gary A. Mitchell, e-mail of July 8, 2012. Gary fully expects the American WMC total will exceed 1000 awards as his research continues. 8. Thomas J. Nier. AEF Award Certificates, 2nd rev. ed. Planchet Press, 1993, p. 86-89. 9. Alec A. Purves. The Medals, Decorations, & Orders, of World War II 1939-1945. Suffolk: Hayward, 1986, p. 81. 10. This AVM Cross appeared in eBay auction #130500073722 of March 27, 2011. It came in a fitted case bearing the Cravanzola logo on the inside of its lid. It sold for $83.67 with only two bids. 11. The 545th Section, AAS, had 33 of its NCO and enlisted members cited for the WMC in an Order of the Day, dated January 31, 1919, from the HQ, IX Italian Army Corps. A photocopy was provided by Gary Mitchell. IN THE NEWS Figure 20: Obverse of a Cross of Military Valor Nation’s Oldest Medal of Honor Recipient Dies that has been modified by stamping a large ‘X’ over the Royal monogram on the reverse upper arm. is also stamped in the upper right corner of that arm. Its significance is not known to the author. This overstamped cross must have been used for a short period until a new supply became available which replaced the VE III cipher with the RI monogram (Repubblica Italiana). Conclusion The concept of a war cross arose from the need to reward the large volume of meritorious and gallant acts produced by the huge scale of combat in World War I. Accordingly, several European nations incorporated some form of the war cross or Croix de Guerre in to their decoration systems. Nations newly independent Former Army Master Sergeant Nicholas Oresko, 96, after World War 1, like Poland and Czechoslovakia, died at Cresskill, New Jersey on October 4, 2013, after also instituted their respective war crosses. This article injuring himself in a fall at an assisted living center. presents the development of Italy’s War Merit Cross and Sergeant Oresko received the Medal of Honor from Cross of Military Valor. It is hoped that the numismatic President Harry Truman on October 30, 1945. variety and collector interest of these decorations has been adequately explained. As a platoon leader with Company C, 302nd Infantry Regiment, 94th Infantry Division on January 23, 1945 Endnotes: near Tettingen, Germany, Master Sergeant Oresko single handedly rushed a German machine-gun bunker 1. Alec A Purves. The Medals, Decorations, & Orders of the GreatWar killing all the occupants. Another machine gun seriously 1914-1918, 2nd rev. ed. Suffolk: Hayward, 1989, p. 62. 2. Harold E. Gillingham. Italian Orders of Chivalry and Medals of wounded him but he continued to lead his platoon in the Honor. American Numismatic Society, 1923 (reprinted 1967 by attack wiping out another machine gun and its crew with L.L. Babin) p. 69-72. a grenade and rifle fire. He also received a Purple Heart 3. Franco Scandaluzzi. Ordini Equestri Medaglie e Decorazioni and a Combat Infantryman Badge. Italiane. Italy: privately published,1962, p.s 28-30 and appendix page V. 4. Dr. K.-G. Klietmann. Pour le Merite und Tapferkeitsmedaille. From the Tampa Bay Times Berlin: Die Ordenssammlung, 1966, p. 79. Submitted by Peter Hlinka 12 JOMSA AWARDS OF THE PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF YEMEN 1967-1990. PART IV: INTERNAL SECURITY AND LABOR AWARDS OWAIN RAW-REES By the mid-1970s the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (P.D.R.Y.) had the reputation of being one of the worst police states in the Arab world – one estimate has one quarter of the population being involved in some form of security work. The Public Security Forces had three main divisions – Armed Police, Riot and Security Police, and Rural Police and their total strength possibly equalled the army or the militia. These forces were reorganised in the early 1970s with East German financial support and the assistance of East German police personnel. In November 1974 the Ministry of State Security was established with one of its key roles being “the forestalling and surprising of plans and attempts by reactionary imperialist forces and the counterrevolution against the National Front organisation and the state organisations.” By 1979 it was estimated that about 100 East German personnel were involved in the reorganisation of internal security and Figure 1: Obverse of the Order of in November 1979 the P.D.R.Y. signed a formal Treaty Establishment of Security of the of Friendship and Co-operation with East Germany. In Revolution. addition to the aforementioned divisions there was also the Revolutionary Security Service of the Ministry of State Security which focussed on internal security and counterespionage. Based on evidence from mounted ribbon bars it would appear that three, if not four, Ministry of the Interior Long Service Medals existed - the ribbons appear to be graded as follows: 15 Years Service: Red with two central yellow stripes. 20 Years Service: As above and two additional narrow light blue central stripes. 25 Years Service: As above but with three narrow light blue stripes. Unknown Length of Service: As above but with three narrow white stripes. Awards of the Ministry for State Security Figure 2: Reverse of the Order of Order of Establishment of Security of the Revolution Establishment of Security of the Revolution. Obverse: A five-pointed red star on a circular, rayed, gilt background. In the center and to the left a rifle, muzzle (Figure 2) uppermost, bearing two flags, the foremost being the flag of the P.D.R.Y superimposed on a light blue flag Size: 43mm diameter in bronze-gilt and manufactured (Figure 1). by VEB Munze Berlin, the East German State Mint in East Berlin. Reverse : The inscription, in three lines, the uppermost being curved, “People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen Ribbon: 24mm white with two pairs of 1.5mm black, left Order of Establishment of Security of the Revolution” and red stripes, right, inset from each edge. Vol. 65, No. 1 (January-February 2014) 13.