Posted 9 years ago
Chrisnp
(310 items)
This Armistice/Veterans/Remembrance Day I’m happy to display U.S. Victory medals with battle bar combinations representing each division of the American Expeditionary Force of WWI. I’ve been searching out medals for this collection for several years, and I finished several months ago. I wanted to wait till Nov 11th to show it. Part one covers the Regular Army. These divisions were composed of America’s standing army and called up reserves.
The First Division (The Big Red One) was the first to arrive in France and the first to enter combat. In 93 days of active fighting it advanced 51 kilometers and took almost 6,500 prisoners.
The Second (Indianhead) Division blocked the main route to Paris during the final German offensive, stopping the German advance there. It won more distinguished service crosses than any other division.
The Third Division became known as “Rock of the Marne” after it turned back the final German offensive at the Marne. Its medal has the most battle clasps of any division.
The fourth (Ivy) Division fought in the Vesle and Toul sectors, it participated in the march on Coblenz as well as the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne offensives.
The fifth (Red Diamond) Division used the Ace of Diamonds as its insignia. It took part in action at Colmar and St. Die as well as the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne offensives.
The Sixth Division was the “The Sight-Seeing Sixth” because it marched more kilometers than any other division during the war. It was under the French in the Vosges Sector and in reserve in Meuse-Argonne.
The Seventh (Hourglass) Division occupied the Loraine sector, accounting for 33 days in the Defensive sector. The division also participated in the Meuse-Argonne offensive.
Note: The Eighth (Pathfinder) Division never reached France in division strength, so is not shown here. Those units that did make it over sustained 6 KIA and 29 WIA.
Great posting chris. I always enjoy your Veteran's Day postings!
Are any of these IDd to a specific soldier in the particular Division?
scott
Hi Scott,
Sorry for the late reply, but my computer's acting wonky so I'm popping in when I have a chance on a computer at work.
To answer your question, three of these medals have been ID'd to specific soldiers. The 3rd Div victory came in a box to Isidore D. Rosen of New York City
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/73791-six-clasp-third-division-us-victory-me
The 33rd Div Victory came from the estate of SFC Jack E. Johns along with his Croix de Guerre.
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/106073-idd-croix-de-guerre-and-33rd-division-vic
The Victory medal with Meuse-Argonne and Defensive Sector clasps came boxed to Rudolph D. Johlen of Lacrosse Wisconsin. I haven't researched him yet.
Chris
Thanks for the love vetraio50, fortapache, blunder, officialfuel, Manikin, ttomtucker, aghcollect and Jewels.
I purchased what I believe to be a WWI victory medal at a flea market. It has 3 bars: St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, Defensive sector. On the back it says: The Great War For Civilization and lists 13 countries. It has stars on each end of each bar.The bars encircle the ribbon front and back. It is on a rainbow ribbon with purple at each end.Is there anyway of identifying who it was awarded to?
Hi Minion64. You have described the WWI Victory medal, but unfortunately the medal alone will not provide you with the individual it was awarded to. That combination of clasps would only make it plausible the person was with the 5th Division. Clasps were awarded for individual participation in a battle, so clasps awarded within any unit vary.