Harris, T/Sgt. Arizona T., AAF, Tempe, Ariz. He was top-turret gunner of a bomber which was badly damaged by enemy antia±rcraft fire over Europe and was forced out of formation. Enemy fighters then concentrated on ±t, forcing it to crash-land in the sea. Throughout the descent and as the plane d±sappeared beneath the waves, he was seen still firing his guns at the enemy planes.

References: "Yank" Magazine, August 20, 1943, Vol. 2, #9. Ballantine Series, New Guinea, Campaign Book #13. The American Heritag--~--P~c~al History of l~II, 1966. ~e~d~st---~rated Story of Worl~--War--~I, 1969.

PRESIDENTS OF THREE MEDAL SOCIETIES: FLE~ING FIURENDAL (DANISH MEDAL SOCIETY), RONNIE MCDUELL (ORDERS AND MEDALS RESEARCH SOCIETY), AND LEE BISHOP (ORDERS AND MEDALS SOCIETY OF A~ERICA), ALL OF WHOM ATTENDED THE 1986 OMRS CONVENTION. (Photo by Lars Stevnsborg) 25 THE ROMANIAN COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL OF THE CRUSADE AGAINST COMMUNISM FRANK F, LOCKMAN, OMSA #3619

The Commemorative Medal of the Crusade Against Communism was insti- tuted by King Michael of on April i, 1942. This medal is unique as it was probably the first ever struck for the sole pur- pose of combatting the spread of communism. It was awarded to all those who took part ±n the war against the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1943. Not only was the medal awarded to the Romanian Armed Forces, but also to the German Wehrmacht and their auxiliary units. Upon the death of King Ferdinand in 1927, six year old Michael be- came King under the tutelage of his father, Carol. Two years later, in 1929, the world-wide depression began and many became dissatisfied with their government and turned to communism and fascism. In 1930 Michael was set aside by his father, who became King Carol If. King Carol II suppressed all political parties. However, the com- munists and fascists still made a lot of trouble for him. King Carol II wanted Romania to remain a neutral country in World War II. His hopes were dashed when Italy~entered the war in 1940. Russia’s price for neutrality was the annexation of Bessarabia and Northern Bucovina, already decided upon by a secret pact between Hitler and Stalin. Germany and Italy then demanded that Romania cede Southern Dobruja (Dobrogea) to Bulgaria and North Transylvania (North Siebenburgen) to Hungary. This was the German imposed Vienna Award/Treaty of Craiova, 1940. Because of this and other reasons, King Carol II abdicated in 1940. His son, Michael, then eighteen years old, was named King of Romania. However, the real power was vested in General , who became Premier on September 4, 1940. The Germans occupied Romania in 1940 and Antonescu became dictator. When Hitler’s army attacked Russia on June 22, 1941, Antonescu immediately allied Romania with Germany. The Romanians reconquered Bessarabia and Northern Bucovina. They also took part in combat against the Soviet Army around Odessa and in the Crimea. Romanian armed forces were among those axfs troops that fought and were surrounded at Stalingrad in 1943. A Romanian division fought in the Crimea as the German forces began to fall back to the west. Later a Romanian division saw extensive action in on the Dniester River in the Ukraine and at the Pruth River in Romania. When the Russians broke through and into Romania itself, the Roman- ians did an ’about face.’ King Michael dismissed Premier Antonescu then had him arrested. Romania on August 23, 1944, announced that she had jeined the allies. Within a month Romanian armed forces were actually in combat against the retreating German Army.

THE MEDAL. The medal is made of dark bronze, 32 mm in diameter and ~--~ t--~k. Varieties exist because the medal was struck not only at the Mint but also in Germany and Austria ~Vienna). One variety of the medal has t~e name of the engraver "P. GRANT"

26 THE ROMANIAN COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL OF THE CRUSADE AGAINST CO~fMUNISM (OBVERSE LEFT / REVERSE RIGHT). BATTLE BARS: TOP - FOR THE LARGE MEDAL R~BBON; MIDDLE - FOR THE BUTTON HOLE RIBBON; BOTTOM - FOR THE MINIATURE MEDAL RIBBON. 27