Military medal research

[LDB415]

A guy I know at a frame shop is trying to identify a medal in a display he made for a family. The gentleman started out back in the Army Air Corps and then transitioned to the Air Force. The medal in question is the very far lower left corner of the group. Any information available would be appreciated. Oh, yes, I know those are ribbons but as I understand it they represent specific medals. I could be wrong on that as well.

[brhalltx]

I don't see it in the usual places... Maybe a faded/damaged/upside down Phillippine Liberation ribbon? It's in the right location to be that...

[rbwhatever1]

I don't see it in the usual places... Maybe a faded/damaged/upside down Phillippine Liberation ribbon? It's in the right location to be that...

That's exactly what it is and it is upside down...

[ELB]

Well the editor ate my first response.

But I can't figure it out. You probably looked all around the web already, but you might try joining some of those military history forums -- there's some that focus on militaria, maybe they can help.

The ribbons are in the wrong order, at least going by today's precedence. For example, I don't think the Army and Air Force Commendation Medals ever took precedence over a Purple Heart. Nor the did the Air Medal (over the PH). But the Distinguished Flying Cross does, and that with the Purple Heart indicates some serious experience.

Good luck and let us know if you figure it out.

p.s. You were mostly right about ribbons representing medals; each medal has a corresponding ribbon, but there are ribbons that do not have corresponding medals. The Air Force Training Ribbon for example, which has to rank among the more useless decorations.

[G26ster]

I don't see it in the usual places... Maybe a faded/damaged/upside down Phillippine Liberation ribbon? It's in the right location to be that...

Possibly. The red could now be orange, the white could now be yellow, and the blue has become grey. Yes upside down. But, a star usually indicates an addition award of the same medal/ribbon. Can't liberate the Philippines twice.

I've looked at this site, and came up empty for that award with the current colors shown:

http://www.usamilitarymedals.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also, there are some anomalies here. Why are there Unit Citations mixed in with individual awards (i.e. the Presidential Unit Citation (far left, third row)? Unit citations are worn above the opposite pocket from individual citations. Also, why is there an additional award (star) of the National Defense Service Medal (far left, 5th row)? The NDSM is/was awarded to all those who served in the armed forces 1965 - present. How can there be more than one award? Seems odd to me, but in any case, this gentleman served us all very well!

[ELB]

Unit citations are worn above the opposite pocket from individual citations.

Not in the Air Force. All ribbons are worn above the left pocket. But unit awards do go below individual ones.

Also, why is there an additional award (star) of the National Defense Service Medal (far left, 5th row)? The NDSM is/was awarded to all those who served in the armed forces 1965 - present. How can there be more than one award?

Actually the NDSM is authorized for specific time periods -- the first one was during the Korean War, a second during Vietnam, a third was the Persian Gulf War (first round), and the latest is the GWOT. If you served during more than one of those time periods, you get a star for each additional one.

[G26ster]

The ribbons are in the wrong order, at least going by today's precedence. For example, I don't think the Army and Air Force Commendation Medals ever took precedence over a Purple Heart. Nor the did the Air Medal (over the PH). But the Distinguished Flying Cross does, and that with the Purple Heart indicates some serious experience.

Correct, the Purple Heart has an order of precedence above both the Air Medal and Army Commendation Medal. you are also correct about the NDSM. I did not know that. Also, I did not know the Air Force wore Unit Citations on the same side below individual awards. Learn something new every day, Thanks!

[LDB415]

Thank you so much for the replies so far. I will pass them along including the link. Any additional information will be appreciated.

[jmorris]

There were four qualifying actions that could get you the Philippine Liberation Medal. If you meet more than one you got the star.

My guess is that the ribbons were not racked by the recipient but by someone else. As far as fading, if these are the original 60+ year old medals I'm not surprised they look like this. Lots of places to get replacements if so desired. And to check precedence.

[joe817]

I agree with the others. It appears to be a Philippine Liberation Ribbon.

It's number 68 on this:

http://www.bvvinc.org/images/decoration ... ibbons.JPG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
II
P.S. The guy who owned those ribbons was a real, genuine WWII hero. Among those ribbons: Presidential Unit Citation, Philippine President Unit Citation, and so on. Whoever he is, I thank you for your service!

[G26ster]

There were four qualifying actions that could get you the Philippine Liberation Medal. If you meet more than one you got the star.

My guess is that the ribbons were not racked by the recipient but by someone else. As far as fading, if these are the original 60+ year old medals I'm not surprised they look like this. Lots of places to get replacements if so desired. And to check precedence.

I agree with everything you stated, so once again I learned something. Yes, medal cloth and ribbons fade with time.

[jimlongley]

Yes, they do fade, but none of the other ribbons are nearly as faded as that one would have to be, as a matter of fact that ribbon reminds me of one my son won at military school.

[baldeagle]

Just so we're all on the same page, the ribbon you are asking about is the one that's orange on both sides with two small stripes, brown and yellow, in the middle. That is NOT the Philippines Liberation Medal. The Philippines Liberation Medal is to the right of the one you are asking about (blue on the outsides with the large white stripe and two red stripes in the middle.)

I've sent the pic to some mil buddies hoping some might know it. We're all old geezers, and I suspect this is an old medal.

This is a pic of a Philippines Liberation Medal.

[DocV]

The picture in Baldeagle's post is the Philippines Independence Medal. The medal in question is the Philippines Liberation Medal, that is racked upside down. The order of precedence is correct.

[OldCannon]

Interesting stuff. The first thing I noticed was the Air Medal with two clusters. That's pretty impressive. I have an Air Medal myself, but that's about as shiny as my medal rack gets.