Hi folks, I hope someone can shed a little light on this for me. My Dad's ribbons include a rather odd looking one (top left in first picture). We have a picture of him in uniform wearing it. It looks hand made to me, not made of real ribbon. It "appears" to be an Army of Occupation of Germany ribbon of some sort. Has anyone ever seen this before? If I had to guess, it looks like an Army Occupation of Germany "ribbon" but the edge color should be blue, shouldn't it? It also doesn't look like ribbon at all. This really has me stumped. Any help would really be appreciated. Thanks...Pete
It appears to be a handmade Army of Occupation of Germany ribbon... Unfortunately, it is for WW1, and was established on November 21, 1941.
Understood. I'm wondering if anyone else has seen anything like this. My Dad spent the lion's share of his time in the Italian Campaign. Thanks...Pete
Were these ribbons issued during WWII? If they were, I was not aware of it. Could it have been something he got from his affiliation with AMGOT? Thanks...Pete
The WW1 Occupation medal ribbons were used instead of the not readily available WW2 version. If you went into a PX and asked for a Occupation medal ribbon you might get the WW1 version. Your photo shows a version probably copied from a picture or a retread WW1 vet.
He may have been prior service and served on occupation duty after WWI. The WWII version was not instituted until 1946 so he may have substituted as chibobber posted, Regardless, the correct order of wear would be after the WWII Victory Medal.
It does not look like (to me anyway) that he is wearing the ribbon in question in the photograph. It looks like to me that he is wearing the three ribbons in the lower rack, with the leftmost being the Good Conduct medal. If he was wearing the homemade occupation ribbon, then he would have been wearing the ribbons in the wrong order. Also, the Good Conduct is first in order of precedence among these and it would have taken him three years to earn it. Time wise, would have had time to earn the Good Conduct before discharged but not having earned it in this photo?
He was born in 1912, so he missed the first one. I would agree that chibobber is probably correct on it. Thanks...Pete
I hadn't considered the order - good point, Slipdigit. Could be the GCM after all, he had plenty of time to earn it by 1945 when we think this picture was taken.
Thanks very much for all of your comments, Gents. This is the kind of detail that is helping me piece together Dad's story. Thanks...Pete
The medal was established in April, 1946...However, it was not actually awarded until about a year later, in 1947. With Ike receiving the first one on April 2, 1947.
That's what I am thinking. The blurred nature of the photo prevents a positive identification of the ribbon, the two ribbons would look very similar. But, the order of precedence would be wrong.
Jeff, I copied this from Wiki "During times of war, the Good Conduct Medal may be awarded for one year of faithful service. The Good Conduct Medal may also be awarded posthumously, to any service member killed in the line of duty." so I think it is the Good Conduct in the picture.
I was typing on my phone as I was about to leave for work. That last jumbled up mess of a sentence was intended to be me asking if he had had time to earn a GCM after the photo was made, thinking that probably no, he didn't, thus strengthening my suggestion that he was wearing a GCM in the photo and not a homemade Occupation Medal ribbon. Clear as mud?
Looking at the bottom photo again, I think the left-most ribbon is the GCM. When was he awarded the Bronze Star? I don't see a Combat Infantryman's Badge and the bottom photo seems to be a bit earlier since I can't make out the campaign stars. Although if the right-most ribbon is the Victory award, it makes it even more confusing.
LRusso216 - Just got a copy of GO 167 from the National Archives. He's listed on page 2 (William J Davini) and the GO was issued in August of 1945. He was separated the following November. I have a screen shot from the GO. Thanks...Pete
Hi. I´m new here and my interest in ww2 is alsso rather new. I´m from Sweden, the "neutral" country, haha.... I would like to know what this ribbon is for. Thanks.
Interesting update on the Bronze Star. According to a video that was made when my mother was still alive, she told the story of how Dad was awarded the Bronze Star. He volunteered for a search and rescue operation in the caves at Monte Casino. Apparently a Major had entered the caves and had not returned. He and another soldier went in to find him and bring him out. The cave was mined, so it was dangerous from that perspective. Turned out that the major was dead when they found him, so they had to carry him out. So from this information, I have a time frame that I can use for accessing after action reports written in the first half of 1944. Narrows things down a little.
All are German awards, except where noted. L-R Romanian Eastern Front Service Eastern Front Service 1941-1942 War Merit Cross with Swords, 2nd Class