The New Zealand Operational Service Medal (NZOSM) is a New Zealand campaign medal for award to New Zealanders who have served on operations since 3 September 1945. The medal was instituted in 2002 to provide specific New Zealand recognition for operational service. It is awarded in addition to any New Zealand, Commonwealth or foreign campaign medal. It is awarded once only to an individual, regardless of how many times he or she has deployed on operations.
These are issued unnamed.
This is a modern issue New Zealand Defence Service Medal (NZDSM) is a military service medal awarded to former and current members of the New Zealand Defence Force, who have served since 3 September 1945. It is expected that at least 160,000 former service personnel and more than 7,000 currently serving NZDF personnel are eligible to receive the medal.
Here is a cheap and cheesy medallion knocked out locally in Australia around VE Day 1945. A unique piece of Australian history, this vintage token was handed out to Australian school children at the end of World War 2. Made of silvered copper by Stokes of Melbourne
The Medal for Fighters Against Fascism (German: Medaille für Kämpfer gegen den Faschismus 1933 bis 1945) was an award of the German Democratic Republic given to people who had been active in the German Resistance against Nazism.
This is the sheet music for a wonderful little ditty named “We’re Gonna Have to Slap, The Dirty Little Jap, And Uncle Sam’s the Guy Who Can Do It“. It was written by Bob Miller and performed in December 1941 by Carlson Robison. I have the record here somewhere also.
Here are the words by the way…
We’re gonna have to slap the dirty little Jap
And Uncle Sam’s the guy who can do it
We’ll skin the streak of yellow from this sneaky little fellow
And he’ll think a cyclone hit him when he’s thru it
We’ll take the double crosser to the old woodshed
We’ll start on his bottom and go to his head
When we get thru with him he’ll wish that he was dead
We gotta slap the dirty little Jap
We’re gonna have to slap the dirty little Jap
And Uncle Sam’s the guy who can do it
The Japs and all their hooey will be changed into chop suey
And the rising sun will set when we get thru it
Their alibi for fighting is to save their face
For ancestors waiting in celestial space
We’ll kick their precious face down to the other place
We gotta slap the dirty little Jap
We’re gonna have to slap the dirty little Jap
And Uncle Sam’s the guy who can do it
We’ll murder Hirohito, massacre that slob Benito
Hang’em with that Shickle gruber when we’re thru it
We’ll search the highest mountain for the tallest tree
To build us a hanging post for the evil three
We’ll call in all our neighbors, let’em know their free
We gotta slap the dirty little Jap
This is another U.S. propaganda item made right after Pearl Harbor. The words “Slap That Jap” may be a reference to a popular song of the time (I have the sheet music elsewhere on this site, yes it’s terrible).
This is the United Nations current issue cap badge worn on the blue beret.
This is a souvenir commemorative medallion commemorating the 40th anniversary of the 1st Matabele War where Matabeleland was conquered and absorbed into what was then Rhodesia.
This medal was awarded from 1937-1945 to those Japanese forces who were part of the so-called 2nd Sino-Japanese War. The companion medal is listed here 1931-1934 China Incident Campaign Medal
This medal was instituted by the Soviet controlled Government of Albania on 13 October 1945 and was essentially the campaign medal for those who fought Italian and German forces during World War II. It was also awarded posthumously to those who had lost their lives in the fighting.
The attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 unleashed a vicious and visceral anti-Japanese racism. Badges like this were common and played to the “Ugly American”. Later on in the Pacific War it was the memory of this kind of nod to otherness that led to the ear collectors of Saipan.
The obverse shows the coat of arms for the Solomon islands and ‘SOLOMON ISLANDS’ around the edge. The reverse shows a map of the Guadalcanal and a US Marine with Marine Corps badge and the words ’50TH ANNIVERSARY GUADALCANAL LANDINGS 7TH AUGUST 1992′. Unnamed as issued.
This medal, instituted in 1940, was awarded by Hungary for efforts in combatting communism.
The Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) is an international peacekeeping force overseeing the terms of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. This is the mission patch worn on the shoulder.
The Multinational Force and Observers Medal is an international military decoration which was first created on March 24, 1982. The medal was established under the authority of the Director-General of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) which were established to monitor a neutral ceasefire zone, between Egypt and Israel, as the result of the Yom Kippur War of 1973.
The MFO is not a UN mission, but rather a multi-national force created by the annex to the Israeli-Egyptian Peace Treaty.
This is the Mongolian commemorative medal issued in 1979 on the 40th anniversary of victory over Japan at Khalkhin Gol.
Soviet troops examine a disabled Japanese Ha-Go tank in the aftermath if the Battle of Khalin Gol, November 1939.
The Merchant Marine Defense Medal (Bar) is a decoration of the United States Merchant Marine. The decoration was established by an Act of Congress on August 14, 1944. The decoration is awarded to members of the Merchant Marine who served aboard United States merchant ships between September 8, 1939 and December 7, 1941.
The Berlin Airlift Device may be authorized for wear on the Army and Navy occupation medals to denote participation in the direct support of the Berlin Airlift between 1948 and 1949.
The Kosovo Campaign Medal (KCM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces established by Executive Order 13154 of President Bill Clinton on May 3, 2000. The medal recognizes military service performed in Kosovo from 1999 to the present.
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, which took the form of a heart made of purple cloth, the Purple Heart is the oldest military award that is still given to members of the U.S. military, the only earlier award being the obsolete Fidelity Medallion.
The Women’s Army Corps Service Medal was a decoration of the United States Army which was created on July 29, 1943 by Executive Order 9365 issued by President Franklin Roosevelt. The decoration was intended to recognize the contribution of women to the Army during the Second World War.
This is an unofficial commemorative medallion made by local italians to sell to soldiers of the 5th army that captured Naples.
This is another unofficial commemorative medal from the United States, this one marking victory in WW2.
The decoration is awarded to officers and men of ships operated by the War Shipping Administration for service in the Pacific War Zone between December 7, 1941, to March 2, 1946. This theatre of operations comprised the North Pacific, South Pacific, and the Indian Ocean east of 80 degrees east longitude.
The “Asia” clasp was authorized for any service performed in the Far East Theater between the dates of September 2, 1945 and April 27, 1952. This included service in Korea, however those service members who were awarded the Korean Service Medal could not be awarded both the Korean Service Medal and the Army or Navy occupation medal for the same period of service.
The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued both to United States military personnel and to military and political figures of foreign governments.
