My great grandpa didn't fight at Normandy, but he did fight in the Battle of Luzon during the Philliphines Campaign. He took out a Japanese machine gun and liberated a bunch of American POWs. He did not receive a Purple Heart, but he did receive a Silver Star. How you charge a machine gun and not get wounded? I can only guess.
Thanks. Very informative. Cool story: as a reporter in the 1990s I got to write about a WWII infantry Lt. who received silver star sixty years after action in the Huertgun Forrest. Turns out his CO (who was wounded shortly after) put in a recommendation but the records were lost/destroyed. They met at a reunion and the CO wondered why the Lt. wasn't wearing his star. "What star?" Cool thing was the guy simply resubmitted the paperwork and there were enough surviving witnesses and corroborating records of the action that the Army agreed. Was pretty cool watching an 80-year old banker get pinned by a general with his grandkids and half the town watching.
Wow! I was a guard, rifleman, machine gunner and my biggest bragging story was: I never let one man/woman who served with me get shot or killed. That is worth all the medals in the world to me.
dID sIMILAR , BUT OFF 75,100 & 125 fT tOWERS AND oN zIP lINE THEY CALL THEM nOW-A-DAYS! " Don't Thank Me!" I was DRAFTED and forced to fight so you din't have too !
Your fucking funny!&a fucking dip shit!for falling off wtfe!you fall off!& obviously you have a brain injury to or you just brain dead you can cut the check for the brain injury I was strongly suggest stay the fuk off roofs!there air born.OVER & OUT!
Hahaha..... Wish I was serving in the US army..... I have served in the Kenya army for 9years and 1day,three UN/AU tours in Somalia..... No medal... But my army discharge certificate indicates I have a medal of honor for participating in the liberation of the port of kismayu, South Somalia (AMISOM 2)
I was awarded these for my US ARMY service (86-93) Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal - 3 Awards, Good Conduct Medal - 2 knots (8yrs service), Army Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal - 3 Campaign Stars, Korean Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, NCO School - Staff Sgt, Overseas Service Medal - 2 Tours (Korea, Germany), Saudi Arabia Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal Joint Meritorious Unit Citation - 3 Awards Special Skill Badges: Parachutist Badge, Expert Rifleman, German Armed Forces Parachutist Badge, German Armed Forces Silver Marksmanship Rope
I am a Marine Corps Veteran and I served from 1977 to 1981. What a incredible career you had in the United States Armey. Thank you for your service and dedication too our great Nation. Very impressive. I love your channel and I look forward to seeing new ones. You do a great job and I really enjoyed watching your videos. Keep up the good work.
I just got my first medal today for my deployment to Iraq and I didn’t know much about them and wanted to know more about them. Very informative thanks!
My brother served in the 1st. Cav. Div. in Vietnam in 1971-72. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals . I also like to thank all of you for your service and welcome home.
My father had a really rare one. It was actually an attachment to his bronze star. I was for amphibious combat landings in other words he did five Saving Private Ryans.
My father was 1st I.D. in Vietnam , he was awarded a Bronze Star with " V" device , Purple Heart with 2 oak leave clusters , ACM and the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross. No to mention 2 Presidential unit citations , 3 MUC, and the RVN Civic Action Award and RVN Presidential Unit Citation.
I served 4 years in the US Air Force and was Awarded the AF Commendation medal for my Service in South East Asia during the Viet Nam War. I also served 16 years in the Michigan Army National Guard and was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal for actions while on State Federal Duty during the 1977 Storm Emergency that lasted for 10 day.
I was in infantry, at the 101st, my 1SG used to say you want a medal or a chest to pin it on, medals don't really mean anything, I've seen courageous soldiers get nothing,and the kiss asses get the medals!
How about an Air Medal (received as an Infantryman). Pilot (WO) was shot twice and "talked" me into landing a OH-6a Observation helicopter in Vietnam. It crashed (of course), but we both survived. Luckily the Army did not make me pay for the damages.
May not be BS. Air Medals are a dime a dozen. I served during the Vietnam era and was briefly in contact with an E4 who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was crew chief on a UH1 helicopter that got into a VERY nasty situation, with both WOs wounded/dead. He brought the "bird" back to base and (I believe) helped save a WO's life. Life is not fair and that fine man was medically discharged with 100% service connected disability due to rheumatoid arthritis.
One of my AAM's was for providing hay in my duece for the commander of Fort Hood. The hay was spread over the mud so he wouldn't get his boots dirty. I was just a private and my first medal.
I earned one bronze star, two army commedation medals, Iraqi campaign medal with two stars, global war on terrorism medal, good conduct medal, national defense medal and a lovely CIB.
From what I understand: Douglas Albert Munro got the cost guard medal of honor for leading an operation to evacuate 500 marines, and then shielding their craft from Japanese fire with his boat. The evacuating craft escaped with the marines, but he died in the effort.
@@thehotdogman9317 I got mine during the period I served in Berlin, (1-170 to 3-6-72). The Good Conduct Medal and National Defense Medal rounded out my awards. No awards for service in combat, since I was a spook in ASA.
I worked as far south and east as you could go in West Berlin from 1-1-70 to 3-6-72. Good time to be there, but I would have enjoyed seeing the Wall come down. After all, you could hit with a rock from my work site, if you had a good arm. Does Rudow ring any bells with you? ASA all the way!
Hi,there 4 ! in which branch where you in the U.S. Berlin Brigade ? did you receive the white or red ribbon one CWV medal ? I served there too ....2nd French Army Corp Quartier Napoléon by the Engineers (? pioneers ?)
they must give out more medals these days. I was in from Mar'71 to Jun'74. my proudest achievement was making Sgt(E-5). I'm 3rd generation military. my grandfather was in WWI, my dad served right at the end of WWII, and I served as stated above. thanks for the video.
I was Marines, my highest medal was a Marine Corps Good Conduct medal. Got a Korea medal and arctic service ribbon. 6 ribbons, with a star on my sea service deployment ribbon. Proud of my peacetime grunt stack though
The one that gets me is the Silver Star with Valor. That must be one heck of a meeting for your commanding officer to say "eff him, he's not getting the CMoH, but we will give him the Silver Star with Valor".
Thanks. My favorite scene in Heartbreak Ridge was when the young officer mistakenly called the old Gunny Sgt. sir due to all his decorations and medals on his uniform, until he saw the rank. Eastwood Rules!
I was the awards and decs guy for my last two squadrons, you did a nice job explaining the awards you covered. The medal that means the most to me is a hard question, I guess if I had to choose one it would be my Armed Forces Reserve Medal, I have a Gold and Bronze hourglass on it with an "M" device and a number 3.
My great great great grandfather got the Distinguished Service Cross for actions in Flexville, France during WW1. He saved a non commissioned officer during the liberation of that city while under fire. My great great great grandfather said himself in an interview in 1968, “I never got hurt, but I saw men injured and killed all around me.” He also was nearly killed/wounded twice. He spent most of his 70s and early 80s at a VFW smoking and drinking with his friends until his death in 1972 at 83.
I’m proud of my Good Conduct Medal. After I was commissioned I could tell most of my fellow officers that I had a medal they didn’t have and could never earn. Plus I never got caught 😉
Woah. I was looking this up a while ago, and never got to finish it. Here I am again, and I forgot I even looked into this video. I wonder how much time passed? Also thanks for making this, I appreciate you.
Christopher in regards to this video, ribbon racks will look a lot different now without the NDSM and no combat deployment. So a video on how a soldiers rack might look considering, might make a good video for the channel.
Chris, great video. I am proud of every award. My Jump Master for the hard work it took to get there. Meritorious Service and Joint Service Commendation because of what went into those. The campaign ribbons. All of them. Lots of blood, sweat, tears and suffering.
You forgot to mention that the bronze star is also given for meritorious achievements or service in combat. When it’s for heroics than the “V” device is placed on the award for Valorous.
What medal have I received that kind of means the most to me? Hmmm... If I had to pick one, I'd say the Navy Silver Life Saving medal. Why is this one a bit more meaningful than any others? I was not in the Navy, for one. I was USAF. Early in my career, I was in an area that could easily be described as, "not very friendly." A small part of my job at the time was to recover downed military personnel... regardless of military affiliation. On this particular occasion, it involved a small number of stranded and injured Navy personnel. Please understand, I did not think I needed or deserved a medal for just doing what needed to be done, by I was given one anyway. But... what made this medal so special came a couple years later, when my MOS drastically changed. As part of my new position, I was often required to work joint operations with other military branches. Having that medal definitely made my interactions with Navy and Marine personnel MUCH more pleasant.
Since I was Cold War soldier, all I received in my time was a Army Achievement Medal, a PLDC ribbon, an Overseas Service Ribbon, and a Good Conduct Medal....and the Army Service Ribbon of course.
When I was stationed in Germany from 1998-2001 I worked in the Battalion S1 Personnel section and was mainly tasked with processing all of the awards given to soldiers who were ETSing, leaving for another assignment, or for doing a good job on a mission...but I have to say over my time there I saw countless awards that were total BS and the soldiers most certainly did not merit getting it..for example...an ARCOM for a Specialist who went out to get fuel for the generator at the TOC?...REALLY?...that's a routine task out in the field!.....a PFC who got an ARCOM for every single ceremony he was part of when on the Salute Team?...that PFC with around five ARCOMS before he even becomes an E4...REALLY?...and the biggest slap in the face was the "blanket award" all of the E5 and below received after our deployment to Albania with Task Force Hawk, everyone got just an AAM to matter how hard they worked that's all they got..while of course the E6s and E7s got Bronze Stars for playing Solitare on their computers all day and night in their tents...the same BS occurred in Iraq also, soldiers who spent their entire deployment patrolling outside the wire of the FOB and engaging the enemy only got the blanket AAM while the senior NCOs who never left the FOB got their Bronze Star, for what I don't know, I'm sure it still goes on today and that is sad.
it was like that in my day 87-93 ARCOMS and AAMS were handed out like candy at Halloween. I had a squad leader that got a Bronze star in Grenada cause he took over as a squad leader as a SPC 4. WTF OVER!!!!
I lucked out. I served 1969-72 and received the NDSM and the Army Occupation Medal for service in Berlin. We didn't get so many participation medals :-)
Received an Army Achievement Medal for writing a book. The book was called a "Screener's Desk Reference" and was a guide for medications that could be dispensed by medical personnel in both clinical and field settings. It was initially distributed throughout the entire 2nd Infantry Division, then later throughout 8th Army and Japan. I have no idea if it is still used as a reference today.
Thank you so very much for your amazing video! You are very knowledgeable and it was very informative! Both of my children are in the military so all of your expertise was veryyyyy helpful! 😀
Grandpa served In Korea with the marine corps, was awarded 2 silver stars and 2 Purple Hearts. Did this as an 18-21 year old, can’t imagine the amount of courage it took for him to do what he had to do to be awarded these
My highest award is the Bronze Star w/V device earned while deployed to Grenada, but my proudest award was the 2nd award of the Meritorious Service Medal, which I received when I retired.
13 years USCG. Only got National Defense and Good Conduct medal. But had14 ribbons and 19 awards. None means much to me. Yeah I can figure out what many will say, but with everything I done while serving, Others got medals cause I did my job, and did it well. It seem to the trouble makers got the medals, but the ones who did their job without question got the shaft. Example, during Desert Storm my unit went on a Southh Pacific patrol where I worked 7 out of 8 drug busts. My Watch Sup ordered me to blow off the first one, but one time I disobeyed an Order. Turned out to be our 1st Drug Bust. The Watch Sup won the CG Acheivement Medal. 3 years later I ended up putting in 20 hours a day for 2 weeks to bust a chinese muggling operation which we ended up catching 128 Chinese. The Cooks got a Medal cause they had to cook a little more than normal. Asfor the USCG having only 1 Medal of Honor, if the Marines had not put Sigalman 1st Class Douglas Munro in for it he would not hae gotten it. What the requirements to win it, the USCG members are expected to do everyday
The medals I received that means the most for me was my first AAM and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (MOVSM) for being in the Indiana Honor Guard
Great video chris. My little cousin (he’s 12) asked if you get the Medal of Honor, does that mean you get a free copy of the video game too? (I told him maybe) 🙄
Interesting fact, the one Coast Guard Medal of Honor recipient was not even born in the US, but instead Canada. He became an American citizen when he was a child, as his family (expatriot father and British mother) had moved to the US. Additionally, Douglas Munro received his award posthumously.
you need to clarify ... the Medal of Honor recipient in the Army would be saluted when in uniform and wearing the award... and the USAF actually has a reg where a salute is required.
I am second cousin of Lt Jack L Knight who was awarded the Medal of Honor. He fought in Burma during WW2. He was KIA. by Japanese sniper. Only soldier to receive MOH in that conflict.
My great grandfather was a Bronze Star recipient. It's been a while, so I'll have to double check what it was awarded to him for, but I do know that I've seen and held the medal and its accompanying letter myself, and that we keep them both in the family safety deposit box
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. My parents property burned down and I'm trying to get replacements for my Dad's uniform that fortunately I had in my possession prior to the fire. I can't understand why he didn't have them on his uniform? He passed away and decided that he wished to be cremated. I'm so proud of my Dad for all he did for our country. Thank you for your service sir!
My father was a pharmacists mate aboard ship during WWII. A more senior pharmacists mate was assigned to the ship for a short time before being processed home. The man was a little flaky. One day he threw an empty beer bottle overboard, into the Captain's gig. There were calls for extreme discipline. The next morning the whole ship's company was called for Captain's mast, the first step in formal discipline. The Captain read a letter that accompanied the man from the commander of the Marine Corps unit he had been assigned to as medic. In essence the man had been in a landing craft that got hung up on the tidal flats of a Japanese controlled island, for 2 days. Instead of leaving he set up an aid station. Under fire.He saved many lives by being close to those hit on the way in. The letter stated that except for the fact that to a marine NOTHING was above and beyond the call of duty he would have recommended the pharmacists mate for the Congressional Medal of Honor. note that the Medal of Honor is awarded for actions above and beyond the call of duty. The letter was signed Col. Carlson USMC Nothing more was said or done. Being a hero is what you do and who you are. Not who knows it.
"This ribbon is for typing - and this one is for filing..." - From the movie, "I'm gonna get you, Sucka." Just kiddin' - as a veteran, I have nothing but the deepest, utmost respect for people in uniform. I think I can always tell when someone has ever served, even after they have returned to civilian life. It definitely changes your perspective.
My old man was a Navy "Lifer" E-9 who served 41 years total. He used to joke that his Good Conduct Medals were also called "Four Years of Undetected Crime". He retired in 1980, and back then they each represented four years rather than three. I had no military service, but was in law enforcement. I received and Excellent Duty Medal, a Meritorious Service Medal, and a Medal of Valor. All of then for pretty much being in the right place at the wrong time.
My grandpa (went to Vietnam during this) served in the Navy then switched to Air Force and retired from the AF in 2009, my dad did 4 years in the Navy, and my fiance is in the Army
My AAM is my most meaningful award because in my first unit I received 3 consecutive Certificates of Acheivement: 1. for briefing the Battalion Command Team on our comms team operations as a PV2 2. Was for validating our section's RF equipment working directly with a CW02 as a PFC. 3. Was my PCS award for my 2 years of service to unit (I was being transferred to our sister unit w/ a letter of continuity). When it came time for me to ETS I had spent my last year as a team leader as a SPC and adding in my letter of continuity I had 8 leadership bullet points on my 4856. HOWEVER, because of PT struggles I wasn't able to have my award submitted until 90 days before I ETS'd and by the time my award got up to brigade it got kicked from a MSM down to an AAM because of time constraints. TL;DR I had 8 bullet points on an ETS award and it got dropped to an AAM because of time.
I served for 15 yrs as a Bradley mechanic. So of course all of the awards went to tankers and scouts during peace time. And during war time. Most of the medals I have are ribbons for 3 tours to Iraq 1 Kosovo tour. And overseas ribbons with a few other minor ribbons. When I first joined I was pumped to get awards and busted my ass to put myself above my peers. And it meant absolutely dick lol. The thing I started to value more were coins. I found I enjoyed getting those more because usually I got them from a person who actually appreciated what I was doing. My most valued things I have are honestly 2 pictures that came with coins by the Col commanding a 101st ABN Cav unit I supported in Iraq. I received two different photos he took of me doing support work for his unit and each time they came with a coin. I was the only one to get these of the 5 mechanics from 4 ID sent to support his unit. And I actually appreciated them far more than any ribbon I have ever received in the Army. They are generic supply system frames with printer quality photos on regular copier paper. Nothing fancy nothing super uber. And yet to me they are my proudest awards lol. Because no one else has them. But then maybe I am just mentally damaged after 15 yrs as a Bradley mechanic. I mean you have to be mentally damaged to keep re-enlisting into that MOS to begin with lol. So maybe that explains why I treasure something most people would have thrown away at the first chance.
I met am american soldier who was stationed in Germany 4 Years ago. We lived 4hours away, but my girlfriend and i visited him and his wife at least ones a month for like 3 years. When he left he gave me his joined service medal as a memory. I dont know how rare this medal is, but i treat it like a treasure.
Problem with the M.O.H...You usually have to die to get one. My Uncle who served at Outpost Harry in the Korean War received two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. Myself? I have an ARCOM, 3 A.A.M's, a National Defense Medal, an overseas ribbon (2 awards), 2 good Conduct Medals and ribbon. I didn't get a Korean Service medal, though I served there (1995-1996).
Thank you for your honesty about the Bronze Star. It is given to Some E-6s for their leadership role. However it normally to E-7s and above for their leadership and some NEVER leave the base. So you can call this the Leadership Medal
I had the privilege of writing up a recommendation for the Soldiers Medal for a SFC in my company who saved a mother and her 2 young children during a fire in the post hosing area.
I am a Vietnam veteran and received the usual campaign-oriented ribbons. Top though are the Bronze Star and ARCOM. I later served four years as an officer, so I want to clarify your comments on the Good Conduct ribbon, which I also received. Only enlisted personnel qualify to receive it... commissioned officers do not. Thank you for your own service!
My grandpa had a distinguished service cross for disabling an fortified position by himself in Ardenes, 4 purple hearts in the korean war and the Vietnam war and a bronze star.
My most proudest achievement is Cadet Sergeant in MCJROTC and the proudest event i did was a service olympic event with only a few of us. We got misinformed on the location we were supposed to be at. We were the only ones misinformed. But the few of us did it anyway and we was thanked for our service for the event. We expected our SMI to yell at us the next day but our SMI was happy but also our SMI didn't want this to happen again i was a Cadet Lance Corporal at the time. Four of us was LE 1s i was a LE 2 and so was our Cadet Sergeant at the time. He did the commands and he had 2 LE 1s and i was with the other 2 LE 1s. All of us did the sections that was in the event. When that was done we took turns posting at the doors because it was very cold like 30 degrees outside to stay in attention while in uniforms.
Got an ARCOM as a PFC in Iraq in 2011 with 1st Cav. Was the PSG’s gun truck operator. Kinda got turned off by the whole awards thing because literally every E-7 (including the cook PSG) got bronze stars... Edit: E-7 and above, O1-O5
Unless that Bronze Star has a "V" device, those people who got them know (and everyone else knows) that they got it because they existed at a certain rank. Not because the necessarily earned it. That's why myself, and many others, give greater respect to Soldiers that earned an ARCOM with "V" device over a blank Bronze Star. In all likelihood that ARCOM with "V" device would have been a Bronze Star with "V" device or even a Silver Star if there weren't "rank quotas" for medals.
BewareTheldes I received an AAM as a PFC and an ARCOM as a SP4. Because I was in service during peacetime, there was no "opportunity" to be awarded these with the "V" designation. Not entirely fair to always perceive that the "V" designation warrants greater accord.
I got 3 ARCOMs in 2 deployments,2003/2004 Mosul,2005/2006Al Kut,FOB Kalsu and Mosul again,in both deployments it was the same thing,platoons Sgts,who spent the whole deployment inside the wire,got Bronze stars along with Squad leaders and also the E-7s like TOC ncoic and ops ncoic...giving medals away like candy,and don't get me started on officers riding in vehicles and another truck gets hit with ONE round and they got a CAB....I feel like puking just thinking about it.
