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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Medal Ribbon ID (from photo)


4thGordons

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I recently purchased a couple of unidentified photographs of American soldiers. One is a particularly nice one, taken in France of a rather rumpled "doughboy" complete with French style overseas cap, and practically (if not very smartly) wrapped puttees. It gives the impression of having been taken shortly after coming out of the line, with no great preparation except...upon close examination he is wearing a medal ribbon - can anyone identify it?

medal.jpg

 

Chris

 

 

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No takers on this then? Any thoughts on US Distinguished Service Cross? (red/white/BroadBlue/white/red)?

or if not, alternatives?

Chris

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This is the DSC..... Does not look a fit to me.

 

Perhaps it is one of those earlier campaign medals?.

dsc-us.jpg

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Could be - the Mexican Border Campaign/Mexican Service Medal would be the most obvious but those don't look like much of a fit either...

The Border Campaign medal is Green-Yellow-Green (even bands) and the Mexican Service Medal is Green/Yellow/Blue/Yellow/Green

 

I suppose it could also be a foreign decoration (British/French/Belgian etc) but I am not sure which it might be.

Thanks,

Chris

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I'd support the Distinguished Service Cross, purely that enlargement can cause "bleed" of the pixels which may make some lines look enlarged?  My gut tells me the spacing rules out the Mexican Service Medal which is more three equal stripes with thin edges. My only other "off the wall" suggestion might be the Cuban Pacification Medal - which has a white stripe - but applying Occam's Razor to a single ribbon, I'd plump for the DSC. Depending on the date of the picture. 

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The picture almost certainly dates from 1918 (poss early 1919) as it is on a French Carte-Postale backing. As I mentioned, the soldier looks very much like he has been whisked from the line. He has no divisional patches (which became almost universal in the AEF soon AFTER the armistice, but are not seen prior to). In my experience it is pretty uncommon to see medal bars of any sort on US soldiers in wartime photos even though a reasonable number must have been eligible for the Mex. Border campaign of 1916.(although I don't know when issue started tbh)

 I'll post the entire image in a bit.

Chris

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whole.jpg

Here is the whole picture - note how his puttees are tied and the state of his boots! He is also wearing a very French style "overseas" cap.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Chris

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This is the Philippine Campaign Medal, awarded up to 1913?

 

He does look quite young though.

NavyPhilCampMedal.jpg

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Yes I think both two young and the absence of the obviously lighter stripe towards the outer edge may count this out.

Chris

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