We are still missing the Army Occupational Germany but this is the finished box until then. The Verteran Service Officer did a wonderful job!! I cried when I seen it!!! Now when he gets it on the 11th I will need a shamwow to collect all my tears!!!

any questions on items in the box ask away!!!

Lovely job, great presentation case. Well done!

__________________
Happy Trails,
Clint.

very well done ive been thinking about doing this for my grandfather

__________________
"i dug a hole in the snow next to a log to keep warm. we were low on ammo and the Germans were across the field from us. we were trying to keep quiet; they didnt know we were there" - V. Coffey, Dec 1944, Bastonge

If your thinking about it then if you can do it.. It is the most honorable feeling in this world!!!! Just an amazing thing what you learn as you research and start it.. I am one Proud American always have been and always will but today I got a really great feeling.. thinking about when he gets it..

I second that!

__________________
__________________________________________

“The first lesson is that you can't lose a war if you have command of the air, and you can't win a war if you haven't.” - General Jimmy Doolittle

Please offer your grandfather my Warmest Regards, Sandy

__________________
Best Regards,
JW

Congratulations...job well done!!

He is going to absolutely love it! A piece of history that everyone can enjoy and be proud of.

Sandy, I absolutely concur with everyone-It's stunning. This is what I do for vets so I know a good one when I see one. One question, What is the red,white and blue tricolor medal next to the French julibee award? Oh, he is also entitled to a French Liberation Medal. France won't issue another because they had to be notified with proof of elgibility before 1950--but I found a vender on the internet that sell an official copy.

the Croix de guerre with double palms is exceptionnal. I rarely see them with two !

__________________

Thank you very much!!!


that is one the he got in the late 90's from France for the French Liberation.. it has the Statue of Liberty on it.. is that the one that you are thinking of from the 50's?

He was sited only once.. there are two palms because you can only wear ribbons or medals not both at the same time on the uniorm so each of them get a palm so the siting shows if he wore either or.. if he was sited twice he would have the fourrege or fire hose as pa calls it..

i have been taught soooo much in these few months...

he does have 2 arrow heads a silver star and bronze star on his ETO ribbon and medal...

He seen it all in Europe..

Bronze Arrowhead (Model #:901 DBAD)

Sandy-only one arrowhead can be worn on a campaign medal regardless of how many invasions he participated in. If he was shipped to the PTO and was involved in another invasion he could wear one on that campaign medal.

http://www.military-patches.com/meda...ix/com-028.jpg
The French Liberation Medal was awarded to anyone involved in the liberation of France. The article below describes it.
French Liberation Medal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hope this helps.

Sandy do you have the fouragère that goes with the Croix de Guerre? If not I have a spare one

__________________

thank you.. the arrowhead we did not know.. i found a unit history and i the ETO they state that his unit was credited 4 arrowheads.. but from when PA got in and out he would have been in 2.. Salerno and Normandy.. I'm gonna attached those pages.. I will have to talk to Va Officer and remove one..

you said you know where to get the French Liberation Medal.. can you tell me?

Thank you very much but he was only sited once with the palm so the are not intitled to.. I am gonna attach info that I got..
TY.., TY... TY

HERE IS THE ARROWHEAD INFO





HERE IS THE INFO ON THE CROIX DE GUERRE

I keep thinking about the arrowheads and I looked on the net and I seen where many vets have more than one arrowhead on the ETO.. I'm not sure what is correct.. they also say that you should only have a minute man pin or a ruptured duck and the Army sent him both and they are the ones that just sent the arrowheads too.. Confusing.. but I think I'm gonna leave it cuz it does stand for both landings.. a few month earlier and he ould have had 3 landings.. he was at the end of Sicily..so he did not do the landing.. and if he and the other men in his unit did not go up the mountain to checkout the Elbe River during the Bulege and not be able to get out he would have went to open up Okinawa..

What a great job. It looks fantastic. I have a similar, but much smaller, one that I made for my father. It's a constant reminder of wat he did, even though he died almost 20 years ago.

Thanks for sharing.

__________________
"Faint heart never won fair maiden", so I say "Go for it!"

Lou

Thank you.. with everything that the members here have shared with me.. I must share too..

Great documents and I see you have all the info regarding the C de G . The curiculum is impressive.

__________________

Papers and other info have slowly filtering in and just amazing.. The unit history is long but great reading. These men were attached to soooo many.. they broguht the 1st infantry in and so many others that seen much action.. I'm proud of him and at the same time sad for all the dismay he seen too.. I'm glad that the pics we have I see him smiling and cry to hear his nightmares.. the coin flips so fast.. On the other hand I see the civilian that took me to school from kindergarten all the way to high school, the man that thought me to stand up for myself, how to fight for what I believe in, how to defend myself and was at every softball game, musical, birth of my children.. every part of my life we have shared.. That there I am so very Proud of!! It is these two parts of him, tho very different, make me honored that he is my grandfather and that I call him PA!!! These men need to know that we love them and that we honor them and their service.. I think this site does that well!! My salutes go to all!!!!

have you thought about the day of presentation then ? meaning you are going to have a small recorder because surely as this touches him remembrances will flow, several you may well have never heard of.

a Beautiful display and he will be quite honored, I would be if all the "stuff" was not trashed long ago. sadly I have nothing of my Grandfathers time away behind the lines in Latvia or my own Fathers service in the US Navy. Just a few stories and some very faded photos.

good for you Sandy, your Grandpa will be very proud

v/r E ~

__________________
Rip it up !

[quote] you said you know where to get the French Liberation Medal.. can you tell me?

Sandy, when this medal was first authorized by the French Government it was considered a foreign award by the U.S.Army and could be worn on the uniform. The Army changed it to a commemorative in the 50's and is now sold as a commemorative. It is about ten down on the right at the website below. All that was needed to certify, when they were giving this award, is proof of service in France during the liberation--like a DD214 with the Normanry or Northern France Camapign listed. The Liberation medal you have displayed was issued as a commemorative by the French Government for the 50year celebration of the liberation--usually called the Golden Jubilee. The one with the Statue of Liberty that he got in the late 90s must be another commemorative that I'm not familar with. The French was truly thankful of the Veterans for their sacrifice during the liberation and deminstrated it with these medals. I got my brother a beautiful brest badge for the 60th celibration.
Special Commemorative Military Medals