Once a medal is recommended-who decides if the person is to receive the decoration, or a lower one, or none at all?
And how do they decide what warrants each grade of medal?

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"GARRY OWEN"-Traditional war-cry of the US 7th Cavalry.
"CURRAHEE"-War-cry of the US 506th PIR.
"Everybody thinks that they are going to get the chance to punch some Nazi in the face at Normandy-and those days are over, they are long gone"-Lt Chris Burnett

I shall be interested to see replies to this as the subject is interesting, and I have never seen a book or article devoted to it.

It's 'touched on' in several books ( especially 'posthumous' RAF decorations ) but I get the impression that it can be a sensitive area.

For instance, on the famous 'Amiens Raid' where raid leader Wg Cdr Charles 'Pick' Pickard was lost a recommendation was put forward for the VC by Lord Londonderry. Consideration for a VC award must be unanimous and AVM Sir Basil Embry would not give his assent. In a strictly confidential minute he noted that this was because : -

' i) He (Pickard) had already been sufficiently decorated in relation to other officers with comparable rewards of service
ii) Press reports of his last sortie exagerrated its importance'.

This information was obtained from Embry by Pickard's biographer, but he was sworn not to disclose this until after Embry's death....

[ 03. November 2002, 06:18 AM: Message edited by: Martin Bull ]

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Hello,

My specality is German Awards. It depends upon the award. For example the Knight's cross and higher ended with Adolf Hitler's final decision. Other awards such as wound badges ended with the Medic's or "Artz" decision. While others also ended with a company commander and others with the Divisional commander. It just depends on what medal we are discussing.

Fred Konig

For US Medals--its the US Congress that OKs medals.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.