Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying

11/12/2013 10:39:57 AM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
just_zoe1958 Burlington, VT 56, joined Dec. 2011	I have seen this topic brought up several times. My sister and I will be working on a display box for a WWII veteran. Can anyone help us understand the symbolic meaning and identifications? Anyome know of a good website that could help as well? What are the three metal pieces on the left of the pin? Do the color of the stripes have meaning? Do we remove pins from his uniform for display or do Veterans have a separate one for that? Meet singles at DateHookup.dating, we're 100% free! Join now!
11/12/2013 10:43:18 AM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
just_zoe1958 Burlington, VT 56, joined Dec. 2011	On both shoulders. He was a bomber during WWII.
11/12/2013 10:50:02 AM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
usillygoose Cicero, IL 40, joined Nov. 2012	You can visit a VA Hospital, and they can tell you...
11/12/2013 4:21:25 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
whiskeyrichard1 Burlington, KY 68, joined Sep. 2013	Theres lots of sites zoe that sell replicas of decorations and ribbons etc. The little devices on each ribbon indicate additional rewards of the same decoration- in the army they use "V" devices, palm leafs stars etc..... The order the ribbons are placed on those bars is also covered by regulations and those have meaning. In the army red, white and blue medals (or ribbons) in any combination have certain status, usually denoting "valor" but in the case of the Bronze Star it can also be awarded for meritorious service without the "V" device. The only exception is the Purple Heart (purple and white) however the Army Commendation medal (green and white) can also be awarded for valor.Usually those other multicolor ribbons are "campaign" ribbons indicating that person was on duty in a certain area, often a combat theater, during a particular period of time. If you try researching those you posted remember the Air Force was the US Army Air Corp for the duration of WWII. It didn't become a separate branch until just right after the end of that war.Id try looking up WWII US Air Corp awards and decorations"
11/12/2013 5:05:46 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
cowboy4672 Lillian, AL 68, joined Dec. 2012	usamilitarymedals.com These would be listed under army/air force medals . Since he was active when the Air force Became the air force and before. There are big full color pictures, so you can piece together his history. Oak leaf clusters (Bronze) signify two years (Silver) signify 4 years Stars signify repeat awards of the same medal.
11/12/2013 5:13:35 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
cowboy4672 Lillian, AL 68, joined Dec. 2012	Bottom Right is the Berlin Airlift occupation ribbon. He flew the Berlin airlift mission!!
11/12/2013 5:53:55 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
whiskeyrichard1 Burlington, KY 68, joined Sep. 2013	Occupation Medal, airlift..good job cowboy. I looked some of them up, couldn't find all of them, but one is the Asiatic-Pacific Theater medal....I love this stuff, it all has meaning, the colors ,stripes etc...its heraldry and great history!
11/12/2013 7:03:02 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
cowboy4672 Lillian, AL 68, joined Dec. 2012	Air Medal (top left.) Eight clusters Highest flying Honor, Distinguished in combat!! Bottom center, European victory Medal standing or "Rank" The lowest rank is on the bottom right the highest is on the top left, (Closest to the heart!) Facing them. When worn they are place in order of "Rank" or importance. Some medals are awarded for showing up for roll call. (National Defense service ribbon) The ones awarded during "combat" or hostile action have the highest rank. This man was a Lieutenant Colonel, flew missions in Europe and Asia and received the Air medal many times for outstanding service.
11/13/2013 9:03:42 AM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
whiskeyrichard1 Burlington, KY 68, joined Sep. 2013	Correct pandiest. Cowboy, I have the Air Medal with 7 clusters, Im sure Bier has a bunch and I know jrbogie does... all I did for mine was medevac runs for a couple months with the 326 Air Ambulance.. Im pretty sure the highest decoration for combat in the air is not the Air Medal, more likely it would be the other valor medals or Distinguished Flying Cross or something.
11/13/2013 9:32:51 AM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
bier95 Clara City, MN 64, joined May. 2011	example Navy,Marine Air Medal Mine has the number 25 on it
11/13/2013 11:22:22 AM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
whiskeyrichard1 Burlington, KY 68, joined Sep. 2013	Actually bier when I got mine I came into the hootch at the 326 Air Ambulance and it was laying on the bunk in a presentation case with a copy of my orders! I guess everybody got one that day LOL! The thing about clusters was something I never paid attention to and didn't follow, but then they made a change in Vietnam to a numerical system because guys were getting it a lot, especially chopper crews. I had to look at my DD214 to know I had 7 awards. Nobody would tell you, they would just put a copy of the orders in your file somewhere to record multiple awards. When I got my Purple Hearts they were actually pinned on me by an officer in a small ceremony. Same for two Bronze Stars.Those mean a lot to me, but they wont buy me a cup of coffee now. However, they are good for a free shot of Jack at the VFW! [Edited 11/13/2013 11:24:02 AM ]
11/13/2013 12:53:52 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
cowboy4672 Lillian, AL 68, joined Dec. 2012	I Stand by my description, Maybe some medals have been Diluted over the years. But Methinks you minimize the medals you hold....Rescue/recovery in a war zone is Distinguished service. That medal says you risked to help another. By it's placement, It is the most important to the Air Force at the time of award. Most of us received our awards the same way, on the bed in the mail or sometimes not at all. But that award/ribbon/medal was earned and witnessed by your "Boss" because he had to take a few minutes to write it up!! Sorry I was off on Major. (Old age)
11/13/2013 1:19:05 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
bier95 Clara City, MN 64, joined May. 2011	Yep whiskey I agree the medals don't mean nothing out here. I got my first Air Medal pinned to me by the CO.,others a piece of paper had to me except last 2 after I was out and sent in mail. 6 purple hearts no big deal again and 1 bronze star. The ribbons only mean something in the service. With them and a $1.50 I can get a cup of coffee.
11/13/2013 2:30:34 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
whiskeyrichard1 Burlington, KY 68, joined Sep. 2013	Well Im guessing we all agree! The trinkets were nice if we wanted to get a civvie's job at the Post Office! It shouldn't be that way-but it is. I think men (and now women) fight for each other. Along the way these decorations are part of that sacrifice.I gave up a long time ago on believing its noble or for some cause that deserves their commitment. It aint.Not in my day, not now. I know that might piss folks off..okay!
11/13/2013 3:51:10 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
just_zoe1958 Burlington, VT 56, joined Dec. 2011	Oh Richard, I wouldn't be asking all these questions if it didn't interest me or if it didn't have any value. I could never or would ever ask what you all went through because I couldn't handle it. I just look at the eyes of the men, that I see on tv, and it pretty much says it all. Just that brings me to tears. Even though all my uncles and most cousins served, I have never seen their medals. The first time was at an uncle's funeral a few years back. I am very proud of them for serving. I don't think a lot of people know what the medals represent. To me it's like you all lived in another world with codes, symbols, different language and lifestyle. Those two bars are like barcodes the color stripes mean something and the metal plane, stars mean something as well. Let me see if I understand you all: The first picture with the wings and two bars. The second bar with the little plane on the black stripe means he flew over Berlin. The first bar...what are the three metal objects on it before the 3 stars? The second picture, that looks like a leaf on his shoulder, is a rank.
11/13/2013 3:54:34 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
just_zoe1958 Burlington, VT 56, joined Dec. 2011	Quote from bier95: example Navy,Marine Air Medal Mine has the number 25 on it What does the Eagle with lightening bolts represent? I see them but more often I see eagles with arrows.
11/13/2013 5:47:39 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
cowboy4672 Lillian, AL 68, joined Dec. 2012	Air mobility command. Means his last job was flying Cargo, Probably C-47 or Globemaster (Shaky Jake) Seems the Heraldry is lost, Each patch ribbon means something to a Lifer. usamilitarymedals.com Top right is Asiatic pacific command WWII ( It's upside down) There's still a couple I haven't figured out. He was flying in to Viet Nam before it was Viet Nam. (Southwest Asia)
11/13/2013 8:34:38 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
just_zoe1958 Burlington, VT 56, joined Dec. 2011	He was a bomber during WWII XXXXXXX, a Vermont farm boy from Essex and B17 fighter pilot with the 8th Air Force, authored "A Pilot's Story: Flying the 1940s." XXXXXX tells of his experiences flying in combat over Germany and post-war over the Pacific with Military Air Transport Service, plus the Berlin Airlift in 1948.
11/13/2013 9:08:43 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
just_zoe1958 Burlington, VT 56, joined Dec. 2011	Thank you very much! Checking out that site. I thought that bar was just one long pin, but it is several joined together? The white/black/red/white, with the plane, is the WWII Army of Occupation Medal Ribbon. It makes a bit more sense now. Thank you!
11/13/2013 10:27:35 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
bier95 Clara City, MN 64, joined May. 2011	Zoe go to this site all his ribbons will be found there. The stars and other things will not be on them just look at color of the 6 ribbons and match to this site. http://www.americanwarlibrary.com/display/usaf.htm
11/15/2013 11:45:04 AM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
just_zoe1958 Burlington, VT 56, joined Dec. 2011	Thank you so much for all the help. My sister thanks you too. She loves her father-in-law and wants her sons to be proud and always remember their "Papa". I am sure that ribbon must have come off at one point and someone put it on upside down. Thank you for allowing me to share a bit of him with you. Next year he will be 96. I wish I had someone to embrace and remember, in my life, that has accomplished and did so much. I am honored to be around him, like I am with all of you.
11/17/2013 10:06:09 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
pahoalookout Dearborn, MI 75, joined Nov. 2007 online now!	Here's a web site. http://www.usamilitarymedals.com/army-army-ribbons-awards-c-2069_20.html?page=0
11/18/2013 4:50:59 AM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
cowboy4672 Lillian, AL 68, joined Dec. 2012	If You use the military medals site you can use the "Rack Builder" to automatically build the rack in the proper order of Ranking.
11/19/2013 10:34:47 AM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
pahoalookout Dearborn, MI 75, joined Nov. 2007 online now!	Quote from just_zoe1958: What does the Eagle with lightening bolts represent? I see them but more often I see eagles with arrows. This patch is associated with airlift. It was MATS (Military Air Transport Service) in the early '60s. Changed to MAC (Military Airlift Command) somewhere along the way. Known as AMC (Air Mobility Command) now. Check the patchs below. http://www.medalsofamerica.com/ItemList--Air-Force-Patches--m-747
11/19/2013 11:38:58 AM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
cowboy4672 Lillian, AL 68, joined Dec. 2012	Okay individual items and meaning: Globe = world wings = flight Arrows = weapons (War material) [Edited 11/19/2013 11:40:29 AM ]
11/19/2013 11:50:55 AM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
whiskeyrichard1 Burlington, KY 68, joined Sep. 2013	Zoe..what cowboy explained is spot on.All these patches have meanings. They are created using"heraldry" .That goes back to the days of knights! The colors all had specific meanings to--for instance in the Army Infantry is light blue, Artillery is red, Armor is a yellow gold.... and then within each of the other branches in the army they have a color also that usually appears in certain patches or decorations....sort of like the shields used in medieval warfare. In the army every patch is tracing some kind of history or lineage for those who wear it. One of my favorites is the US Army 9th Infantry Division. The patch looks like a big cookie unless you know its history. Its a round circle with 8 sections and a small circle in the center.The large part of the patch is divided in half and a smaller white circle sits in the center. The half are equally divided between red (Artillery) and light blue (Infantry) The meaning of the patch is the coordination and close relationship between infantry and artillery in battle. It has the 8 sections to signify 8 brothers, the one in the center is the "9th" ..or to put it another way 9 infantry divisions. Almost every army division patch has a similar history. I know quite a few of them. Always found it interesting! [Edited 11/19/2013 11:52:00 AM ]
11/19/2013 1:03:04 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
eastfoot Bossier City, LA 59, joined Jul. 2012	Quote from whiskeyrichard1: Occupation Medal, airlift..good job cowboy. I looked some of them up, couldn't find all of them, but one is the Asiatic-Pacific Theater medal....I love this stuff, it all has meaning, the colors ,stripes etc...its heraldry and great history!
11/20/2013 8:57:30 AM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
whiskeyrichard1 Burlington, KY 68, joined Sep. 2013	I forgot to mention the 9th Infantry patch is a "Octofoil". Another favorite of mine is the 1st Cav patch. Its a Norman shield. It has a black stripe that represents a Sam Brown belt or "bilder", that's a sort of a sash that goes from the shoulder to the waist and a sword was attached to it in the days of horse mounted cavalry-which is where the 1st Cav was born (it was Custers outfit BTW). It has a horses head representing the mounted cavalry and the large background is yellow-gold, signifying armor- because before mechanized armor the horse mounted soldiers were the equivalent. Cool huh?
11/20/2013 9:08:22 AM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
whiskeyrichard1 Burlington, KY 68, joined Sep. 2013	gdaddy was 4th Infantry.His division motto is "Steadfast and Loyal'. That patch is a white square turned on its point with four branches of green "ivy". The patch takes its history from the Roman Numerals IV or "4". [Edited 11/20/2013 9:08:56 AM ]
11/20/2013 9:36:46 AM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
whiskeyrichard1 Burlington, KY 68, joined Sep. 2013	Last one for now....25th Infantry. Known as the Tropic Lightening (in Vietnam we called it the Cu Chi National Guard and Electric Strawberry). The division was formed in Hawaii, so the patch is a Taro leaf with lightening bolts, paying tribute to its Hawaiian origins. Its red and yellow (armor and artillery) in support of infantrymen. Good stuff aint it? As for my unit the 101st. We go back to the Civil War.We weren't "airborne" then, that change came about after WWWI. But we had a bald eagle mascot known as "Old Abe"...so the patch that was created when gliders and paratroopers were assembled into infantry became a patch of his head! Our motto is "rendezvous with destiny", but my unit is "Geronimo" (1/501)...digitaldog is a Currahee...'Stands Alone" is their motto, its a reference to the Currahee Mountains where they train in Georgia (and a small native American tribe)
11/20/2013 7:52:16 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
cowboy4672 Lillian, AL 68, joined Dec. 2012	How about The presidential seal?? Eagle clutching in one talon Laurel branches! In the other talon he clutches arrows! When America is in a declared war, The eagle faces the Arrows, When at peace, He faces the Laurel branches!!
11/21/2013 11:21:03 AM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
whiskeyrichard1 Burlington, KY 68, joined Sep. 2013	So which way is it facing now cowboy?
11/21/2013 4:54:12 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
cowboy4672 Lillian, AL 68, joined Dec. 2012	Facing the laurel branches. I just researched and found Truman standardized the seal, But the facing of the Eagle isn't part of the standard. I know Hayes had it facing the arrows and somewhere in my History learning someone explained why!! So we'll call it another Myth!!
11/21/2013 5:26:22 PM	Medals, pins and patches meanings and displaying
whiskeyrichard1 Burlington, KY 68, joined Sep. 2013	Thanks..I just never knew

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