Archive for the 1939-1945 Service Medals Category

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 6, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_United_StatesThe European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by Executive Order 9265  issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was intended to recognize those military service members who had performed military duty in the European Theater (to include North Africa and the Middle East) during the years of the Second World War. Colored bands representing Germany (on the ribbon’s left side), Italy (on the ribbon’s right side), and the United States (in the center of the ribbon) are visible in the ribbon. The brown and green areas of the ribbon represent the terrain of the area of conflict, which ranged from beaches and sand, to grass and woodlands, to mountains.

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World War II Victory Medal

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 6, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_United_StatesThe World War II Victory Medal is a campaign medal of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The medal commemorates military service during World War II and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of the Government of the Philippine Islands, who served on active duty, or as a reservist, between December 7, 1941 and December 31, 1946.

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Navy Occupation Service Medal with Europe Bar

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 6, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_United_StatesThe Navy Occupation Service Medal is a military award of the United States Navy which was issued to Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel who participated in the European and Asian occupation forces following the close of the World War II. The medal was also bestowed to personnel who performed duty in West Berlin between 1945 and 1990. Not more than one Navy Occupation Service Medal may be awarded to an individual.

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Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Bar

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 6, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_United_StatesThe Army of Occupation Medal for the Army and the USAF could be awarded with either a Germany bar as here, or a Japan bar.

The period of service depended on the region as per below.

Germany (May 9, 1945 to May 5, 1955)
Austria (May 9, 1945 to July 27, 1955)
Italy (May 9, 1945 to September 15, 1947)
West Berlin (May 9, 1945 to October 2, 1990)

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Merchant Marine Atlantic War Zone Medal

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 6, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_United_StatesThis US decoration is awarded to officers and men of ships operated by the War Shipping Administration for service in the Atlantic War Zone between December 7, 1941, and November 8, 1945. This theatre of operations comprised the North Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, Barents Sea, and Greenland Sea.

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Merchant Marine Mediterranean-Middle East War Zone Medal

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 6, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_United_StatesThe decoration is awarded to officers and men of ships operated by the War Shipping Administration for service in the Mediterranean-Middle East War Zone between December 7, 1941, and November 8, 1945. This theater of operations comprised the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean west of eighty degrees east longitude.

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Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 6, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_United_StatesThe Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a military award of the Second World War. It was awarded to any member of the United States Military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by Executive Order 9265 [2] issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

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Army of Occupation Medal

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 6, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_United_StatesThe Army of Occupation Medal is a military award of the United States military which was established by the United States War Department on 5 April 1946. The medal was created in the aftermath of the Second World War to recognize those who had performed occupation service in either Germany or Japan. The original Army of Occupation Medal was intended only for members of the United States Army, but was expanded in 1948 to encompass the United States Air Force shortly after that service’s creation.

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Selective Service Medal for World War Two

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 6, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_United_StatesThis medal was instituted in 1940 and awarded for service on draft boards and other home front organizations.

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American Campaign Medal

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 6, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_United_StatesThe American Campaign Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by Executive Order 9265 issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Originally issued as the “American Theater Ribbon”, the medal was intended to recognize those service members who had performed duty in the American Theater of Operations during World War II.

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Commemorative War Medal 1940-1941

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 6, 2013 by The Dude

64px-Flag_of_Greece_(1822-1978).svgInstituted by Royal decree of 19 August 1947 to recognise Royal Hellenic Armed Forces personnel who took part in operations from the outbreak of hosilities in 1940 until the fall of Crete in 1941. It is issued with two different inscriptions, one for land operations and one for actions at sea. The design of the medal was changed in 1983 to relect the change from a Kingdom to the Greek republic in 1974.

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Participant of Combat Operations Medal

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , , on May 5, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svgThis is the Soviet era chest medal or badge for participants in combat operations during WW2. This was issued by Soviet Ukraine.

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The Medal of Zhukov

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags on May 4, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_RussiaThe Medal of Zhukov (Russian: медали Жукова) is a state award of the Russian Federation initially awarded to veterans of the Great Patriotic War but now awarded to serving members of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. It is named in honour of Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov, the most decorated general in the history of the Soviet Union.

The Medal of Zhukov was established on May 9, 1994 by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No 930. The medal’s statute was defined on December 30, 1995 by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No 1334. The initial statute of the award stated the medal was to be awarded to military and civilian veterans of the Red Army, the Navy, of NKVD troops, guerrillas and members of the underground, for bravery, fortitude and courage displayed in fighting against the Nazi invaders or the Japanese militarists, and to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Georgy Zhukov. The basis for award of the medal was simple proof of direct participation in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 as part of the army, or in combat against Japan. It could also be awarded to servicemen of the Ministry of Defence and other ministries and departments, in which Russian law provides for military service, for courage and bravery displayed in combat operations in defence of the Motherland and the public interests of the Russian Federation.

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Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 4, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svgThis is the 2nd Class of the Order of the Patriotic War.

The Order was established on 20 May 1942 and came in first class and second class depending upon the merit of the deed. It was the first Soviet medal established during the war, and the first Soviet order divided by classes. Its statute precisely defined, which deeds are awarded with the order, e.g. shooting down three aircraft as a fighter pilot, or destroying two heavy or three medium or four light tanks, or capturing a warship, or repairing an aircraft under fire after landing on a hostile territory, and so on, were awarded with the first class. It was also given to some allied troops and commanders, including western allies. Altogether, over 324,903 of the 1st class and 951,652 of the 2nd class were issued during the war. Until 1985, the total number reached about 1,370,000.

In 1985, during the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War, it was decided that all surviving veterans of the war would be awarded either 2nd or 1st class of the Order, and about 2,054,000 first class and 5,408,000 second class were issued then.

As of January 1992, the total number of all awarded Orders was 2,487,098 first class and 6,688,497 second class variants. My 2nd class is numbered 5503731.

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Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 4, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svgThis is the 1st Class of the Order of the Patriotic War.

The Order was established on 20 May 1942 and came in first class and second class depending upon the merit of the deed. It was the first Soviet medal established during the war, and the first Soviet order divided by classes. Its statute precisely defined, which deeds are awarded with the order, e.g. shooting down three aircraft as a fighter pilot, or destroying two heavy or three medium or four light tanks, or capturing a warship, or repairing an aircraft under fire after landing on a hostile territory, and so on, were awarded with the first class. It was also given to some allied troops and commanders, including western allies. Altogether, over 324,903 of the 1st class and 951,652 of the 2nd class were issued during the war. Until 1985, the total number reached about 1,370,000.

In 1985, during the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War, it was decided that all surviving veterans of the war would be awarded either 2nd or 1st class of the Order, and about 2,054,000 first class and 5,408,000 second class were issued then. As of January 1992, the total number of all awarded Orders was 2,487,098 first class and 6,688,497 second class variants. My 1st class is numbered 945423.

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Medal for the Victory Over Germany

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 4, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svgThis is the service medal issued by the Soviets to the soldiers, sailors and airmen who served the Soviet state during the war against Germany.

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Medal for Meritorious Labor During the Great Patriotic War

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 4, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svgThis is the service medal issued by the Soviets to the factory workers, farm workers etc. who served the Soviet state during the war against Germany.

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Medal for the Defense of Moscow

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 4, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svgThis is the campaign medal issued by the Soviets to the defenders of Moscow in 1941.

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Medal for the Capture of Koenigsberg

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , , on May 4, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svgThis is the campaign medal issued by the Soviets to the armies involved in the capture of Koenigsberg, the capital of East Prussia, in 1945.

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Medal for the Liberation of Warsaw

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , , on May 4, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svgThis is the campaign medal issued by the Soviets to the forces involved in the capture of Warsaw in 1945.

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Medal for the Defence of Leningrad

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 4, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svgThis is the campaign medal issued by the Soviets to the defenders of Leningrad.

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Мedal for the Liberation of Belgrade

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , , on May 4, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svgThis is the Soviet campaign medal issued to those who participated in the liberation of Belgrade in 1944.

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Medal for the Defence of the Caucasus

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 4, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svgThis is the Soviet campaign medal awarded to veterans of the campaign to defend the Caucasus against the German operations of 1942.

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Medal for the Capture of Berlin

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , on May 4, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svgThis is the Soviet campaign medal for the drive to capture Berlin in April-May 1945. Brutal.

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Medal for the Victory Over Japan

Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags , , on May 2, 2013 by The Dude

Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svgThe Soviet Union came in late in the war on Japan. Having frightened them off in 1939 in their drubbing of the Japanese 6th Army in Mongolia, the Soviets waited until August 9th 1945 before rolling into Northern Mongolia, Korea and the Kurile Islands. This medal was awarded to troops involved in that campaign.

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