WWII vintage bronze service (battle) stars

[System6ix]

Hello. I am not sure if this falls under "Mil Surp", but I was hoping someone might be able to point me in the right direction. I am looking to purchase 3 vintage WWII bronze service stars to accompany a campaign ribbon that was given to me. I've found some sources for Vietnam era stars as well some reproduction stars, however I'd prefer genuine period specific pieces. Thanks for any info.

 

[76Too]

but...do you rate?

 

[mac1911]

I think you best bet for finding medals is to go to military shows. Once in a great while growing up we would see family members post medals and uniforms for sale down the VFW.
Knowing how to tell the difference from the original period stars and fakes....?

 

[System6ix]

but...do you rate?

I would dare say I “rate” with the 93 year-old decorated 3 campaign USMC WWII veteran who has befriended my family and given us several of his medals as well as a container with sand he collected from Iwo Jima after being only one of seven survivors from his company that was originally 250 strong when they came ashore Iwo Jima.

I am simply trying to give these items the honor they deserve by representing them properly. My daughter will be taking these items to school for a presentation and I want them to understand this man participated in three amphibious landings in the Pacific and received a bronze service star for each landing/campaign. Will they really understand the magnitude of that? Highly doubtful—however I think it’s my responsibility to at least make sure the effort is made.

Below is a shadow box I had made to display the container of the infamous Iwo Jima black sand he gave us.

 

[Picton]

Did the Marines give out arrowhead devices for assault landings? The Army did, and if the Marines did, I'd think his ribbon would need one of those as well. Don't quote me on this, but I THINK the Army gave out just one arrowhead per campaign medal no matter how many landings were made, denoting the rest with stars. Check his DD-214, or whatever the WWII equivalent is. Get it right.

I respect your attention to detail, but the stars now are pretty much indistinguishable from the stars then.

 

[System6ix]

Did the Marines give out arrowhead devices for assault landings? The Army did, and if the Marines did, I'd think his ribbon would need one of those as well. Don't quote me on this, but I THINK the Army gave out just one arrowhead per campaign medal no matter how many landings were made, denoting the rest with stars. Check his DD-214, or whatever the WWII equivalent is. Get it right.

I respect your attention to detail, but the stars now are pretty much indistinguishable from the stars then.

Thank you very much, that's great advice. I have noticed some Asiatic Campaign medals with an arrowhead and 3 service stars online…not sure if the recipient was Army or Marines. Cheers!

 

[System6ix]

I think you best bet for finding medals is to go to military shows. Once in a great while growing up we would see family members post medals and uniforms for sale down the VFW.
Knowing how to tell the difference from the original period stars and fakes....?

Thanks, I'll keep my eyes out for some military shows. Unfortunately I probably couldn't tell the difference between a well done fake and the real thing, so I am hoping to find an "honest dealer"…they're still out there somewhere, right? Lol.

 

[76Too]

I hope you realize my comment was intended to be a harmless jest. I have a tremendous respect for you that you are attempting to accurately represent the man behind the medal.

I too got a hold of some of the sacred black sand of Iwo...given to me by the Company Commander at 3rd Maintenance on Okinawa this past January when I went over for a short rotation. I barely feel like I deserve it, given that it is soaked with the blood of so many men that were better than I will ever be...but i'll be sharing what I have with some of my fellow NCO's this November on our birthday. Kudos to you for giving it the respect it deserves.

Good luck with your search.

 

[mac1911]

When I was 15 I asked my dad about my grand fathers and great uncles medals,uniforms and such.
Had no idea what his dad did with what little he brought back. My grandfather mother's side left all his "army" stuff some where in the many moves around Roxbury and Dorchester.
My great uncle through family info tossed his stuff in the trash? My cousin says he has some of his medals and ribbons and I am waiting for the day to see them. My great aunt did find some of his papers.
Good luck and God bless trying to preserve this history.

 

[System6ix]

I hope you realize my comment was intended to be a harmless jest.

Lol…yes I was 99% sure you were kidding. However in the incredibly unlikely event you thought I was looking to strap on some medals and waltz into the local VFW or American Legion, I just wanted to clarify that.

Great idea to share the Okinawa sand with your fellow NCO's. The gentleman who gave me the Iwo Jima sand said he collected it in his canteen and then it sat in his closet untouched for close to 60 years. He then decided to divide it up into 8 containers. He gave one each to his three children, three to Marine buddies, kept one and somehow decided I was worthy of the last container. I knew right then I better damn well come up with a way to display it in the honor it deserves. Cheers!

 

[System6ix]

When I was 15 I asked my dad about my grand fathers and great uncles medals,uniforms and such.
Had no idea what his dad did with what little he brought back. My grandfather mother's side left all his "army" stuff some where in the many moves around Roxbury and Dorchester.
My great uncle through family info tossed his stuff in the trash? My cousin says he has some of his medals and ribbons and I am waiting for the day to see them. My great aunt did find some of his papers.
Good luck and God bless trying to preserve this history.

I imagine it's quite heartbreaking to lose such family history like that which can never be replaced. Unfortunately I can relate as my grandfather was a WWII in the 3rd Armored Div. He was awarded a Silver Star, Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts. Unfortunately I know very little about him and it sounds like his kids hawked all his WWII stuff years ago…mostly likely for chump change to by some booze. I've been trying to connect with his kids for years just to see his stuff and learn a little about what he did, but it's gone nowhere…nothing but excuses. So it leads me to believe none of his stuff is in their procession anymore.

 

[07Mustang]

I have purchased from these folks http://www.medalsofamerica.com/ when making shadow boxes for my father and my uncles who served in WWII. The attachments are so small I believe that no one would be able to tell if it was from the 1940's or today. I also believe you are doing a fine thing.

 

[KBCraig]

When I was 15 I asked my dad about my grand fathers and great uncles medals,uniforms and such.
Had no idea what his dad did with what little he brought back. My grandfather mother's side left all his "army" stuff some where in the many moves around Roxbury and Dorchester.
My great uncle through family info tossed his stuff in the trash? My cousin says he has some of his medals and ribbons and I am waiting for the day to see them. My great aunt did find some of his papers.
Good luck and God bless trying to preserve this history.

That happens a lot. Many people straight out of combat are eager to leave all reminders behind them.

Even in peacetime, lots of vets toss everything. One Army buddy ETS'd a few months before I was supposed to get married in 1988; I asked him to be my best man, and to wear his Army Blue uniform. He told me that he had sailed various pieces of uniform out the window while driving from New York to Texas for his first post-Army job. He was pretty sure his low quarters were somewhere in a ditch in Arkansas.

 

[Mountain]

My Grandmother gave away most of my Grandfather's WWII stuff. Uniform was long gone. Between my brother and I, we do have some nice bring-back stuff and some medals.

Glad this thread popped up. I have my Grandfather's bronze service stars from serving with the Red Arrow Division in the Philippines. I did not know what was there significance- need to go take a look later today.

 

[System6ix]

I have purchased from these folks http://www.medalsofamerica.com/ when making shadow boxes for my father and my uncles who served in WWII. The attachments are so small I believe that no one would be able to tell if it was from the 1940's or today. I also believe you are doing a fine thing.

Yes, these guys are great! I have purchased from them as well for some ribbons and pins I used for a framing project. The service was great!

I agree that probably no one would be able to tell the difference if I just went ahead and ordered the reproduction stars. However I think it would nag at me knowing they are not truly period specific. Fortunately I have had some luck on eBay and located some.

 

[System6ix]

He told me that he had sailed various pieces of uniform out the window while driving from New York to Texas for his first post-Army job. He was pretty sure his low quarters were somewhere in a ditch in Arkansas.

Lol, that's great!

 

[whacko]

I would dare say I “rate” with the 93 year-old decorated 3 campaign USMC WWII veteran who has befriended my family and given us several of his medals as well as a container with sand he collected from Iwo Jima after being only one of seven survivors from his company that was originally 250 strong when they came ashore Iwo Jima.

I am simply trying to give these items the honor they deserve by representing them properly. My daughter will be taking these items to school for a presentation and I want them to understand this man participated in three amphibious landings in the Pacific and received a bronze service star for each landing/campaign. Will they really understand the magnitude of that? Highly doubtful—however I think it’s my responsibility to at least make sure the effort is made.

Below is a shadow box I had made to display the container of the infamous Iwo Jima black sand he gave us.

That's awesome stuff.

My great grandfather went into France on d day plus 103. Served in the 26th Yankee division (mass national guard) in the 1st bn 104th infantry regiment. He was a mortar forward observer and was taken pow in november and remained a prisoner until May of 1945. I'm the only member of the family of his decadents that joined the mitary. It was an honor to serve in Iraq 2009 wearing the same unit insignia of the 26th on my shoulder! He passed in 1986.......he was older than most WW2 vets as he volunteered when he was 36 years old. Anyway.....my great grandmother made sure I got all of his army belongings. In the box I found his German pow paperwork. All written in German.......with stamps noting each pow camp he was brought to. Traced on a map you can see he was moves east as the allies advanced.

Also i have his issued 26th shoulder sleeve insignia.....his combat infantry badge (cib) his pow medal..........purple heart.....his discharge documents.....and a book of patriotic prayers that he kept with him that has some.journal entries he made on the inside and back covers. Also the local Haverhill mass newspaper clipping of him being declared missing in action.
Amazing shit!

We have to keep these things in good shape men! The greatest generation is almost gone from the earth. Honor then any way you can.

I have some small bring back from Iraq for my son to have. Pale on comparison to what my great grandfather earned.

Op.....good luck finding those stars.