Expert: John Vargas - 10/13/2009

Question

Dear John,

I'm building a military shadow box for a WWII veteran and need input on ribbons and medals. He enlisted 29 Jan 1943 as an Amorer Gunner and was assigned to the 452nd Bomb Group,728th Bomb Squadron at Deopham, England in Jan 1944. He was on his 3rd bombing mission when his B-17 was shot down on 10 Feb 1944. He was wounded as a result of being shot down. He was a POW in Stalag Luft VI before being transferred to Stalag Luft IV, liberated in April 1945 and discharged on 19 Oct 1945. His discharge papers list his Battles and Campaigns as Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe; Air Offensive Europe.

His Decorations and Citations are European-African-Middle Eastern Service Ribbon with 5 Bronze Stars; 2 Overseas Bars. I know ribbons and medals have been awarded after the fact and after researching his information, I've came to the conclusion he earned the following ribbons/medals: Purple Heart, POW, Good Conduct, European-African-Middle Easte rn Service Ribbon with 5 Bronze Stars, Victory Medal WWII, WWII American Campaign, Army Service, and Distinguished Unit Citation (The 452 Bomb Gp was awarded this on 7 April 1945). Did I overlook any ribbons/devices/medals that he deserves or have I included awards he hasn't earned? Is there a ribbon for the Distinguished Unit Citation ( I couldn't find one) and I can't find a 5 Bronze Star device. Is it represented as a silver star?

Thank you very much for your help,

Sincerely,

Krystal Henderson  

Answer
Hello Krystal,

Let me say this, you did some good work!  You did an excellent job, putting this information together!

I did not see it mentioned, but you also need to put these items into the Shadow Box as well.

1. Rank, it would have to be the WWII type and style that the Airman’s Rank was during WWII.

2. One (1) Enlisted Army Air Force Collar Disk and (1) US Collar Disk.

3. The Airman’s two (2) Aeronautical Qualification Badges, the Aircrew Member Wing Badge, and the Aerial Gunner Wing Badge, the Aerial Gunner Wing, goes above the Aircrew Member Wing Badge.

4. A qualification bar called an “Army Air Force Technician Badge”, with “AP Armorer Bar”.

5. You also need to put in the Army Air Force Armament Specialist Sleeve Patch.

6. The Army Air Force Patch, and the 8th Army Air Forces Patch.

7. The WWII Honorable Service Lapel Pin, commonly called the “Ruptured Duck”.   

8. Two Overseas Service Stripes (optional).

Here is what the Aerial Gunner, and the Aircrew Member Wing Badges look like.

http://www.303rdbg.com/badges.html

Here is what the Army Air Force Technician Badge looks like.

http://usarmyinsigniahomepage.110mb.com/technic.gif

http://www.angelfire.com/md2/patches/medals/otherqbaaftech.html

Here is what the Army Air Force Armament Specialist Sleeve Patch, looks like.

http://angelfire.com/md2/patches/images/aafas.jpg

http://www.angelfire.com/md2/patches/other/airforce3.html

Here is what the WWII US Army Enlisted Rank Insignia and Overseas Service Bars looked like.

http://usarmyinsigniahomepage.110mb.com/wwii_era.html

Here is what an Enlisted Army Air Force Collar Disk, looks like.

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/smkngun27/Insignia%20Photos/DSC01.jpg

Here is what the Army Air Forces Shoulder Patch looks like.

http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/PopTopics/hqusa.gif

Here is the history of the Army Air Forces World War II Shoulder Sleeve Insignia.

http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/PopTopics/insignia.htm

Here is what the 8th Army Air Forces Shoulder Patch looks like.

http://www.taphilo.com/history/8thaf/8thAF-Shoulder-Patch.jpg

Here is what the WWII Honorable Service Lapel Pin (AKA “Ruptured Duck” looks like, and the history behind it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorable_Service_Lapel_Button

http://www.amervets.com/replacement/duck.htm

The “Distinguished Unit Citation”, is now called the “Army Presidential Unit Citation”.  Here is what it looks like.  For the Army, this is worn on the right side of the uniform, and is not placed with the ribbon bar, so for display it would be on its own.

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Awards/PRESIDENTIAL%20UNIT%20CITATION%201.html

Here are the medals and ribbons the Airman earned in the order of precedence.

The Purple Heart Medal:

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Awards/PH1.html

The Prisoner of War Medal:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner_of_War_Medal

The Good Conduct Medal:

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Awards/GOOD_CONDUCT_MEDAL.htm

The American Campaign Medal:

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Awards/AmericanCampaignMedal.htm

The European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal:

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Awards/EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MID%20EAST1.html

You could put Five (5) Bronze Service Stars in the EAME Ribbon, as I have seen biographical groupings with five (5) Bronze Service Stars on the ribbon, but officially, the Five (5) Bronze Service Stars are replaced with one Silver Service Star on the Ribbon and Medal.  

Here is more information about “Service Ribbons Accoutrements”.

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Awards/Campaign%20Medals/RibbonAccouterments.h...

The WWII Victory Medal:

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Awards/WORLD%20WAR%20II%20VICTORY%20MEDAL1.htm...

The Army Service Ribbon was not established until 1981, and although it is retroactive, you must have been on active duty on or after “on or after August 1, 1981”, to have earned it.

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Awards/ARMY%20SVC%20RIBBON1.html

Here is the exact Military Occupation Specialty (MOS) Standards for an ARMORER-GUNNER in WWII, this is from the War Department, and is officially called “MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF ENLISTED PERSONNEL WAR DEPARTMENT • 12 JULY 1944.”

                          "AIRPLANE ARMORER-GUNNER (612)

    Inspects, repairs, and maintains all aircraft armament, including bomb release mechanism, airplane cannons, machine guns, auxiliary equipment, and may repair other weapons.
    Makes daily inspections and running repairs to equipment, such as bomb racks, bomb release mechanisms, aerial gun sights, flare racks, flare rack controls, and chemical carrying release mechanisms.  Installs armament equipment on airplanes.  
    Fuzes and places bombs in bomb racks; disassembles guns and inspects them for worn, broken, or defective parts.  Makes necessary replacements or repairs and reassembles weapons after thoroughly cleaning and oiling their working parts.  
    Mans a machine gun position if combat occurs during flight."

Here is the History of the Campaigns that Airman received credit for.

The Normandy Campaign:

http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/normandy/nor-pam.htm

The Northern France Campaign:

http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/norfran/norfran.htm

The Rhineland Campaign:

http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/rhineland/rhineland.htm

The Central Europe Campaign:

http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/centeur/centeur.htm

The Air Offensive, Europe:

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=1720

Here is the history of the 452nd Bomb Group:

http://www.angelfire.com/ne2/b17sunriseserenade/452.html

http://www.angelfire.com/ne2/b17sunriseserenade/

Here is the history of the 728th Bombardment Squadron:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/728th_Airlift_Squadron

Here is the history of RAF Deopham Green:

http://wapedia.mobi/en/RAF_Deopham_Green

Here is the history of the 8th Army Air Force:

http://www.taphilo.com/history/8thaf/index.shtml

Here is more information on the B-17, nicknamed the “Flying Fortress”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-17_Flying_Fortress

Here is the history of Stalag Luft IV, and Stalag Luft VI:

http://www.303rdbg.com/pow-camps.html#stalag4

http://www.303rdbg.com/pow-camps.html#stalag6

http://www.stalagluft4.org/

Here is how to properly put together a WWII Shadow Box, with instructions.

Luckily, for you, one of the Shadow Boxes is for an AAF Armorer Aerial Gunner.  Here is the Armorer Gunner Shadow Box.

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/smkngun27/Insignia%20Photos/DSC00163.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/smkngun27/Insignia%20Photos/DSC00164.jpg

Here are the rest of the Shadow Boxes and Instructions.

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/smkngun27/Insignia%20Photos/DSC00151.jpg...

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/smkngun27/Insignia%20Photos/DSC00153.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/smkngun27/Insignia%20Photos/DSC00154.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/smkngun27/Insignia%20Photos/DSC00155.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/smkngun27/Insignia%20Photos/DSC00156.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/smkngun27/Insignia%20Photos/DSC00158.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/smkngun27/Insignia%20Photos/DSC00159.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/smkngun27/Insignia%20Photos/DSC00160.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/smkngun27/Insignia%20Photos/DSC00161.jpg

If the links do not allow you to click on them directly, cut and paste them into a new browser.  

I hope that I have been able to answer your questions.  If you have any more questions, please feel free to contact me and I would me more than happy to answer them.  

Regards,

John