Army badges/veteran question

Grim/Don

Grim/Don

Joined
Feb 1, 2003
Messages
1,221
I've got a buddy who's a Vietnam vet. His ex wife threw out all his badges and medals, even his bronze stars. :eek: I'd mentioned that I'd been to an Army surplus store today to get some paracord (see thread in G&G) and he was quite interested. We talked for a bit, and I recommended another store in town as they have more badges, emblems and the like. He mentioned that he'd like to replace everything he'd lost and I asked him if the Army would do that for him. He said no, they give everything to you once, and that's it.

Is there any way I can find out info on his awards, purchase them, and give them to him as a surprise? (I was thinking Veteran's Day).
 
He can contact the National Personnel Records Center and request a copy of his awards and they do send replacements of his awards if requested. The general public can request records following this link.

http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/

This is the link for him to request his records.

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs/index.html

Once you find out what medals he was awrded you can either get them from the NPRC or go to www.usmedals.com and have a shadow box made up for him.
 
Grim/Don said:
His ex wife threw out all his badges and medals, even his bronze stars. :eek:
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That's pretty low. But yeah, if you are entitled to a medal / ribbon you can always buy replacements. If your friend has exchange priveleges he can get whatever he needs there.
 
I hate to say it, but ... there are a lot of guys who tell everybody "my ex threw out all my medals" ... that's right up there in frequency with "the check is in the mail" and "I would have been a SEAL but I wasn't quite through training when I broke my ankle." Bronze Stars -- plural? Know how many soldiers have been awarded two Bronze Stars? It'll be interesting to see how he responds to the news that he can get his medals replaced.
 
Cougar Allen said:
I hate to say it, but ... there are a lot of guys who tell everybody "my ex threw out all my medals" ... that's right up there in frequency with "the check is in the mail" and "I would have been a SEAL but I wasn't quite through training when I broke my ankle." Bronze Stars -- plural? Know how many soldiers have been awarded two Bronze Stars? It'll be interesting to see how he responds to the news that he can get his medals replaced.
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He's a stand up guy who used to be my neighbor until I moved. I still mow his yard for him and his wife and help him at his job occasionally. (He makes and install custom shower doors and sometimes needs help holding a door or mirror that weighs 200+ pounds). Maybe he said 'star', I donno. I got interested when he said he was looking to replace his stuff, because I thought about doing that for him from the moment I first heard his story.

But, yeah, if he gets weird when I hand him the paperwork or invite him to my house to use the computer for the site KV mentioned, then I'll drop it.
 
Cougar,
In my job, I see lots of DD214's and Vietnam era Bronze Stars are not uncommon; even multiple awards. While it can be awarded for heroism, it can also be awarded for "meritorious achievement or meritorious service."

What you're thinking of is the Bronze Star with combat "V" device -- two of those would be quite an achievement.
 
Cougar Allen said:
I hate to say it, but ... there are a lot of guys who tell everybody "my ex threw out all my medals" ... that's right up there in frequency with "the check is in the mail" and "I would have been a SEAL but I wasn't quite through training when I broke my ankle." Bronze Stars -- plural? Know how many soldiers have been awarded two Bronze Stars? It'll be interesting to see how he responds to the news that he can get his medals replaced.
Click to expand...

My great-uncle picked up a Bronze and a Silver as a paratrooper in WW2, so it can be done. Maybe. :)
 
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