OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF

THE ORDERS AND MEDALS SOCIETY OF AMERICA

PRESIDENT

Rolfe R Holbrook~ Coral Gobles, Florida

VOL. 17 JUNE 1966 NO. 6

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA’S CIVILIAN AIR PATROL MEDALS OF VALOR

The S~iver Medal of valor With oxydized silver finish and having

three silver embroidered stars on the ribbon.

THE CIVIL AIR PATROL MEDALS OF VALOR by G. C. Krug

These decorations are awarded only by the National Executive Commit ......... tee of the Civil Air Patrol. The Silver Medal of Valor is the highest decoration of the CAP, awarded "for distinguished and conspicuous gal ...... lantry and heroic action, at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of normal duty".

The Bronze Medal of Valor is the next highest award, "for distin- guished and conspicuous gallantry and heroic actionwhere danger to self is probable and kno~".

The medals have the CAP insignia, a three-bladed propeller on a tri- angle, laid on an oakwreath with "FOR VALOR" on a riband below. The re- verse is plain. Tile ribbon is white with red edges, blue sidestripes and red center stripe; the ribbon of the Silver Medal bears three embroid- ered silver stars.

An examination of an actual specimen of e~ch piece permits the fol- lowing specifications: The medals are 43 x ~6½mm, including the integral sphere at the top of the upper point. The two ends of the ring are sol- dered to this sphere to take the ribbon. Maximum thickness is 2.8/2.9mm.

The distinctive ribbon is 36mm, distributed as follows: r6½, w~, be1-~3, wI-~3, be1-~3, w3, r3, w3, bel-~3, w1-~, bel-~3, w3, and r6½mm. Undoubtedly the original pattern was specified in the English system and the 1-7/16ths ribbon would then be distributed: r½", w~8", be5/96", w5/96", be5/96", w~8~, r~8", wI/8’’, be5/96", w5/96", be5/96", wl/8’’, & r½".

The silver medal appears to be silvered bronze and on the specimen examined it is inferior in quality to the bronze piece. Both pieces seem to be oxydized to highlight the design and then clear lacquered to retard further tarnish. The reverse of each piece, otherwise uniface, has the inscription: " GEMSC0 / A.G.0. G-2 " vertically from top to bottom in small letters.

The ribbon quality and brooch design are of the standards and type currently employed on the federal armed forces awards and medals. The stars embroidered on the ribbon of the silver medal are about 5/16ths of an inch in diameter or are 8 x 9mm by actual measurement. They are done in a silver-grey thread.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The above information was gathered from basic data eontrubuted by Mr. Raymond A. Witnik and Mr. James Peterson, whom we thank for their efforts. Specimens for examination were furnished from the collection of Mr. Archer Jackson. Photos were made by G. C. Krug.

MISSION BY JOHNSON - In the lapel of his jacket, President Johnson wears a miniature of the Silver Star. He won that decoration for bravery in 1942, and a new paperback book, "The Mission" (Popular Library, 504) tells how he did it.

Authors are Martin Caiden, an award-winning aviation writer, and Ed- ward Hymoff, a former NBC news editor. The book says that on June 2, 1942, Congressman-Lt. Comdr. L. B. Johnson was aboard a B-26 on a bombing mission over New Guinea.

Having lost a generator, and with two inoperative guns, the B-26 was in a sky swarming with Zeros, including one piloted by Saburo Sakai, who was to come out of the war as Japan’s greatest living air ace with 64 kills to his credit.

Johnson had been sent to the southwest Pacific, on orders from Pres. Roosevelt, to compile a detailed report on the conduct of the war and Johnson believed that despite the risks the only way to find out was to see for himself. It is mentioned that hewas there against the advice of Gen. Douglas MacArthur and other high ranking military officials.

For the rest of the story, see the book° It was reviewed in "Books Today" in the Chicago Tribune of May 8, 1966.

Frederic yon Allendorfer

2

The Bronze Medal of Valor with oxydized bronze finish and with plain ribbon in stripes of the national colors.

R]/MBER OF U.S. MEDALS AWARDED - As a numerical comparison, the following chart from "A New Generation Of Heroes" gives figures on Vietnam up through January, 1966:

W.W. II KOREA VIETNAM

Medal of Honor 430 128 3 D.S.Co * 8,082 972 61 Silver Star 82,868 12,146 506 Legion of Merit 24,704 3,882 347 Bronze Star 423,938 85,000 7,311 Purple Heart 962,403 136,913 16,161

¯ Includes Navy Crosses and Air Force Crosses in the Distinguished Service Cross figures given above.

NEAPOLITAN VERSION! - The medal illustrated on page 8 of the April issue, in the plate on the insignia of the Military Order of St. George of the Reunion of the Kingdom of Sicily, is the Neapolitan version of a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. These were awarded to non-commissioned officers and enlisted men for 25 years service.

James C. Risk

"A NEW GENERATION OF HEROES" is the title of an article in the May 1966 issue of the VoF.W. (Veterans of Foreign Wars) magazine. Subtitled "In An Unofficial War These Combat Awards Are Official", this article written by Co Brian Kelly illustrates various U°S. combat awards now being bes- towed and some of the recipients who have earned them.

The narrative goes on to tell the story of how the U.S. decorations were permitted to be given in the present conflict, through the efforts of men from the President on do~n. Instances of individual awards are mentioned along with excerpts from citations.

Submitted by Mr. Paul Spiegelhoff

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