Can I get some help from the military guru's here?
 

I'm trying to identify the service ribbons my father wore on his uniform. U.S. Army CWO4 Nike Missile Specialist. I've found a couple resources on-line that have helped me identify his "Korean Service" ribbon and his "WW ll Service" ribbon and the "Army Commendation Medal".
I'd appreciate any other resources that you may know of or if you can identify any of the ribbons.

Thanks All,

ooops Forgot to upload the pic.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1445224735.jpg

The pic is upside down but
ARCOM ww/cluster
Good conduct, clasp signifies second award
WWII Victory Medal
Army Occupation Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Korean Service Medal, the stars signify separate campaigns
UN Service.

Wow, That was fast. Thank You

Another question........ I'm told (my mother) that he was involved in an action in Korea known as the "Double Nickel"? Any way of finding out more about this?

The only thing I could find digging around quick is referencing the 55th MP Co. Apparently, they processed a lot of POWs.

ETA: If he was with 55th, there should be a second set of ribbons, likely just one or two, with gold braid around the edges. They're unit commendations.
http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/mp/0055mpco.htm

ETA Again: The Nike system went into service in '54, your dad was obviously in well before that as he'd have served before '46 to get the WWII Victory Medal. Do you know what he did before working on the Nike?

From what I have been told it was an offensive action comprised of segregated troops that suffered heavy casualties but were victorious in the end.

Kevin the ribbon stack is inverted. I have flipped it for you.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1445226911.jpg

Hopefully our Army brothers and sisters will correct any errors (I am Navy), but here goes:

Top Row: Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster (two awards) (Depending on when awarded this could have been a ribbon or if after 1960 they were full medals)

Middle Row Left: Good conduct Medal (with two loops for two awards)

Middle Row Middle: World War Two Victory Medal

Middle Row Right: Army of Occupation Medal (Which is now retired. Though this ribbon does not indicate which occupation it was awarded for, the Full Size Medal would have the clasp stating which it was)

Bottom Row Left: National Defense Medal

Bottom Row Middle: Korean Service with Two Campaign Service Stars

Bottom Row Right: United Nations Service

That seems correct. Thank You.
Regarding the Army Commendation Medal, I have one in the original presentation case. It has the full size medal, a ribbon and a lapel pin but it doesn't have the oak leaf clusters on it. That must mean it was the first time he was presented with it?

Can you help identify some of these for me?
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1445227877.jpg

Likely. They don't present you with a second medal for the second award, just the bronze cluster.

The far left top is 'marksman' qualification with the Carbine.
The one below is 27th Ordnance Maintenance Co. 1st Cavalry.
2nd vertical column from the right is 60th Air Defense Artillery Regiment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/60th_Air_Defense_Artillery_Regiment
far left column is 3rd Air Defense Artillery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Air_Defense_Artillery_Regiment (I'm a little iffy on this one, it's the closest match I saw that had Korea Service, they change the crests from time to time)
The middle vertical column is 61st Air Defense Artillery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/61st_Air_Defense_Artillery_Regiment They were consolidated with 436th 548th and 740th Antiaircraft Artillery Missile Battalion which operated NIKE missiles.

Thank You.
How do you know all this? I'm thoroughly impressed.

No I'm sorry to say I don't. I'm reading thru his service records but don't really know what I'm looking at just yet.

I have absolutely no idea what the row of Jaguars signify.
I'm from a way different generation than this, but I speak Army and my Google-fu is strong.

It depends on his years of service. Prior to 1960 the medal was not presented, which for a Korean Vet would apply. But he had a full career per your statements and it is more than likely that he was presented one of each?? You may want to check with the Army Records (our Army vets would know the office) and they may be able to help you obtain a copy of his service record. This would answer many details of his service.

Yeah, that kind of thing isn't the easiest to understand.

Looks like he was just an artillery guy until the NIKE systems were introduced and jumped at the chance to train on them and make Warrant.

Depends on the Command and the CO.

NPRC
https://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/public/index.html
If you catch them on a good day you can get the records inside of a month. Your fathers records may have been affected by the fire in '73, that slows things down a bit.

:)

You get an Oak Leaf on your :)!

You're right, and I was brain farting. I was thinking of lesser awards. I can definitely see them presenting a new medal for an ARCOM.

Last for tonight.

Probably more my medals than his.
His brass Nike belt buckle. Can't even begin to tell you how many times I was beaten with this thing. From cutting class to playing with the black kids who's fathers weren't officers, I knew this thing intimately.



http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1445230381.jpg

And I was presented with 21 of these when they laid him to rest with honors in a National cemetery.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1445230464.jpg

That belt buckle is pretty neat! I didn't know that they got a special buckle.

If you have his records, humbly stumble into the local VFW and explain that you'd like to know what they say. Someone there should be able to shed some light.
If you have to get anything from NPRC, I am thoroughly convinced that calling to check status gets your request moved to the back of the line. It says to allow 10 days before calling, I wouldn't call until it had been 6 or 7 weeks.

I'm pretty stumped by those Jaguar pins. There's some inconsistency in small details that suggest they were made in small batches. All I can think is that they were an unofficial insignia of some sort for segregated units.

I'll see what I can find.
I surely appreciate all the help and Google-Fu from both you gentlemen.
Thank You

Nope, no brain fart there at all, I have seen it both ways. Thought the ceremony where the sailor was given the device reflected poorly on the Command and the Navy, but what the heck, to each his/her own.

Excellent Idea! I work with the son of a highly decorated WWII Captain. Though he is not a vet, he volunteers with the VFW. He often mentions how some of the Vets love to help the families of Vets in any way they can.

I can't speak for the Army, but in the AF, they typically just give you the first (basic) Commendation Medal with presentation set. After that, they present you one in the ceremony, pin it on, but take it back afterwards. The same with any other medal. It would get costly as the sets are pretty pricey.

The kitty cat is an Ocelot: (65th Air Defense Artillery Regiment)
Coat of Arms

Depends on when/where he served:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/65th_Air_Defense_Artillery_Regiment

Might well have done some Hawk missile in Maryland and/or key west:
http://www.missilesofkeywest.bravepages.com/KWdefenses.htm

That would make sense. I know he had some Hawk experience.

The Army typically awards you with the full set each time you earn a commendation. The only difference is it's called out in the paperwork as being "with oak leaf cluster" or "2nd Award," etc.

Darn, that could get expensive. I guess an Army guy needs to put in a suggestion to do it like the AF...might earn them some money. Having a drawer full of full size medals really seems to benefit no one other than the company that makes them(unless you sell them on EBay).