The Medal Collector Volume 49 Number 4 31
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The Medal Collector Volume 49 Number 4 The Certificate for the First Medal @ The Certificate for the Second Medal 31 The Journal of the Orders and Medals Society of America A month and a half later, on 22 March 1995, a similar medal called Fifty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 was instituted by President Yeltsin. It was also struck of bronze and is 32mm in diameter. On the obverse is a scene of Red Square and the Kremlin on V-Day with fireworks in the sky. Below this is the badge of the Order of the Patriotic War with the dates 1941 - 1995 and laurel leaves on both sides of the badge. The eight line inscription repeats the name of the medal and there are laurel branches on both sides. The 24mm ribbon is half red and half black and yellow stripes, the former ribbon of the Order of St. George. The certificate is signed by President Yeltsin and has a serial number. The new national emblem - the double headed eagle of Russia - is shown on the front page of the certificate. The Reverses of the Two Medals THE U.S. WORLD WAR I VICTORY MEDAL: SOME HISTORICAL NOTES Charles P. McDowell (OMSA #1580) Why didn’t United States establish a campaign medal for established1 and nine years after the first Navy campaign military members who served in the operational theaters medals were established.2 Even though the Army and Navy during the First World War? Why was a Victory Medal given initially established medals for the same campaigns, they did to all military personnel regardless of where they served used not use the same designs for their respective medals.3 The instead? Why did the Government create bars for the Victory earliest of these first campaign medals incorporated a Medal? The answers to those questions provide fascinating insight into the politics and bureaucracy of Federal awards. Hopefully, the information that follows will answer not only 1 War Department General Orders No. 4 of January 11, 1904, those questions but Will also shed light into what has been a authorized "campaign badges with appropriate ribbons" to dark corner for almost eighty years. be worn as a part of the uniform. The included "badges" for the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, and the Boxer Rebellion. Army Campaign Medals 2 Special Orders Number 80 (for the Navy) and 81 (for the American involvement in the First World War began twelve Marine Corps). years after the first Army campaign medals were 3 McDowell, Charles P., "Early Campaign Medals: Why Separate Medals for Each Service?" TheMedal Collector, Vol. 36, No. 12 (December 1985): 5-7. 32 The Medal Collector Volume 49 Number 4 fundamental flaw that was to plague the future of American Border in the years 1916 and 1917 (but not in the campaigns military medals. The Army Civil War Medal was authorized that qualified for the Mexican Service Medal), or who served for personnel who served during the war whether they as members of the Regular Army on Mexican Border Patrol participated in any actual engagements or not.4 The other between January 1, 1916 and April 6, 1917, but were not campaign medals, however, were authorized for people who eligible for the Mexican Service Medal.8 This was not the either participated in specific battles or who at least served in first time Congress created military medals to recognize what an operational area. Thus from the outset two categories of it believed to be special categories of service (see, for service were recognized: those who merely served and those example, the Specially Meritorious Service Medal, 1898, and who actually participated. the Philippine Congressional Medal). However, the establishment of these two medals met with resistance from The "National Guard" Medals for Service the Army, which did not approve of the concept of During the Spanish-American War approximately 179,400 authorizing medals for anything other than "actual service in National Guard members and U.S. Volunteers served on the field during hostilities.’’9 It is interesting that the active duty but did not actually participate in the campaigns legislation creating the Spanish War Service Medal and the for which the Spanish Campaign Medal was authorized. By Mexican Border Service Medal also established the the same token, about 75,000 National Guardsmen were Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Federalized for service on the Mexican Border during !916 and the Silver Star. What is surprising is that the legislation and 1917 and were likewise not eligible for the Mexican did not contain any provisions for a campaign lnedal for the Service Medal. Clearly, their lives had been disrupted and First World War, which was then in progress. Never the less, most ~vere quite willing to serve in active operations; it was the establishment of the Spanish War Service Medal and the only because of circumstances beyond their control that they Mexican Border Service Medal set the stage for a service were not eligible for the campaign medals that had been medal for veterans of the First World War. authorized. Many of these men thought their service also deserved recognition.5 After pressing their claim through The First World War: "Campaign" or "Service?" sympathetic members of Congress, special medals were United States participation in the First World War lasted just created for them.6 In the Spring of 1918, Senator William over a year and a half, and the question of medals for those M. Calder (New York) introduced legislation to rectify this who participated was not an urgent priority while the war was problem. As a result, the Spanish War Service Medal and the in progress. However, after the war ended interest shifted in Mexican Border Service Medal were established by Act of favor of recognizing those who had served. Both a lapel but- Congress approved July 9, 1918.7 The Spanish War Service ton and a medal for discharged soldiers were considered. As Medal was eventually authorized for personnel who served for the use of a medal, one General Staff officer noted that, not less than 90 days in the Spanish-American War between Unquestionably, it is within the powers of the April 20, 1898 and April 11, 1899, but who were not eligible President to prescribe a medal to be worn on the to receive the Spanish Campaign Medal. Likewise, the uniform, and I think we can issue a medal for Mexican Border Service Medal was authorized for personnel discharged soldiers to be worn upon their unifornl. who either served in the National Guard on the Mexican Of course, if the bill authorizing soldiers to retain their uniform does not pass, medals are to be returned with the uniIbrm under present provisions 4 The Amly Civil War Medal was authorized for "service in of the law (within four months after discharge), the Regular or Volunteer Army or in the militia in the but I feel that the bill authorizing the retention of service of the United States between April 15, 1861 and unifom~s is sure to pass soon. If we make this April 9, 1865." Participation in combat was not required. applicable only to discharged soldiers, its presence 5 For example, the Texas Cavalry Service Medal ~vas on the uniform will serve to distinguish the dis- established by Act of Congress on April 16, 1924 (Public charged soldiers from those still in the service and, Law 91, 68t~ Congress) for award to members of two consequently, will constitute tile distinguishing brigades of cavalry organized by the State of Texas under mark which we all recognize as necessary. 10 authority of the War Department who served on the Mexican Border between December 8, 1917 and November 11, 1918. Members of the Texas Cavalry were not eligible 8 Announcement of the authorization of these two medals for the World War I Victory Medal. For more information was made in General Orders No. 76, War Department, on this medal see Gleim, Albert F., "Congressional Texas 1919, as amended by General Orders No. 90, War Cavalry Medal," The Medal Collector, Vol. 23, No. 11 Departanent, 1919 ~ovember 1972): 3-4 and Till, Paul H., "The Special U.S. 9 This is contained in a letter from Brig. Gen. William S. First World War Texas National Guard Cavalry Brigades Graves,quoted in Wheately’s article. Medal," Vol. 23, No. 11 (November 1972): 4-7. 10 Letter from Colonel H.A. White (Office of the Chief of 6 Wheatley, Todd, "A Tale of Two Medals," The Medal Staff) to Colonel Robert E. Wyllie (Chief of the Equipment Collector, Vol. 45, No. 4 (May 1994): 5-27 Branch, Operations Division, General Staff), dated 7 Public Law No. 193, 65th Congress. December 16, 1918. 33 .