vaughn

I don't know how the military services operates nowadays but some 60 years ago after the war ended, it was bad as everyone wanted to go home.
The reason for this Thread/post is to ask if Korean, Vietnam, and all the later wars veterans were issued their authorized medals and ribbons when discharged.
I recently posted the following on another military BB and thought I'd stir the pot and let it simmer on this BB.

- COPY -
23 Dec 1946
Vaughn Earl Hampton, Ex S1/c, USNR
Gen Del.
Los Angeles, Calif.

The Chief of Naval Personnel takes pleasure in forwarding with his congratulations the following award made to you for meritorious conduct as a member of the Naval Service:

Ribbon bar of the Navy Unit Commendation awarded LCI (G) Flotilla Three, Amphibious forces, Pacific fleet for outstanding heroism in action in support of amphibious landings in the Southwest Pacific war area from 31 January to 28 July 1944.

By direction of Chief of Naval Personnel

Sincerely Yours,

/s/ Joe H. Floyd
Lt. Comdr., USN, Director
Enlisted Processing and Transmittal
Medals and Awards
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This letter and my NUC ribbon accompanied other medals and ribbons sent me in 2000 after I wrote the Navy Department requesting my authorized medals or ribbons be issued me, as I never received them when discharged after the war.
The only item I was given was what was referred to as the “Ruptured Duck” pin signifying the wearer was an honorably discharged member of the US military service.

All men, officers, enlisted or drafted into the navy during WW ll Hostilities were placed in the USNR, (US Navy Reserves) not the regular USN (US Navy) Our term of service was the duration of the war plus 6 months.

I’ve yet to meet a WW ll veteran that was issued the medals and ribbons he was authorized to wear at discharge. All my ships crewmen bought their authorized ribbons in Honolulu after sailing to Pearl Harbor for ship repairs. These ribbons and Red amphibious Patch worn on our Whites, showed we weren't Boots, we were salty Gator sailors!

There are many WW ll veterans that still haven’t received medals and ribbons and never will until they or kin request them.

I'm sure that personal medals such as Purple Hearts, Bronze Stars, and etc were given during a ceremony, I'm referring to theatre of operations medals, i.e., WW ll, American Theatre, Asiatic Pacific, Navy Unit Citation and etc.

__________________
Hamp
USS LCI (L) & (G) 450
WW ll Gator Navy

Shek

I'm still in service, so I'm not aware of any policy to have awards issued upon discharge. However, ribbons and awards are almost always issued at a ceremony, and unit supply supplies unit ribbons and medals (unless they are not squared away).

__________________
"So little pains do the vulgar take in the investigation of truth, accepting readily the first story that comes to hand." Thucydides 1.20.3

lemontree

Shek I think he means the general service type of medals, for particular theaters of operations. I am still waiting for my COIN medal, with my number rank and name mentioned on it.

__________________

Cheers!...on the rocks!!

TopHatter

I hope this bit of fun isn't too unwelcome

Attached Images

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Gun Grape

Hamp, The Navy/MC issues medals to individuals but unit awards are not issued. You have them annotated in your record book and DD-214 but since the review process is so long most people have left a unit/ship by the time the award is given.

Unit award notifications are published quarterly on the unclassified message board, and the awards clerk tries to keep up with where everyone was and who rates what. It preytty much comes down to research on the individuals part or seperations going through your ship/units and seeing if they rated anything while you were there.

vaughn

Hello Gun Grape,
Your answer makes the most sense in the SNAFU'ed service Branches.
It would be a simple procedure to have Base Seperation assign someone to go through the dischargees records, gather all medals and ribbons authorized and not previously issued, give them to the man/woman being discharged.

Nah - that's too easy!

RustyBattleship

Vaughn describes an ideal procedure and it would work if discharges could be spread out to only a few per day. But usually it's a case of battalion or shipload at a time.

When WW II ended, a good portion of the Naval Base at Long Beach, California was converted over to separation facities that took over quite a number of buildings for processing each individual. If all went well, a serviceman up for discharge could be processed out in less than 4 days with 2 days being the shortest and 6 days being the longest.

Hundreds of servicemen were going through the facility every day and wanted out in the fastest possible time. So adding a few more days to research for service awards and medals was not acceptable to most people. They just wanted out now or sooner.