06-15-2012, 11:31 AM
This medal (these medals) present a challenge. The same suspension legend is used on both. Based on the suspension bar, the name would be Medal "For a Long and Highest Quality National Service".
I have no clue whether either ribbon is correct and strongly suspect the ribbon on the round medal is quite wrong.
I see several possibilities here:
-- An "order" (the star) and "medal" class for different periods of service?
-- They are really for two different sorts of service (military and labor?) and you just "know" from the design diffences? A single award with two divisions?
-- Suspension bars are being married with medals to create "mules"?
-- Something else entirely is going on?
So much remains to be learned about these (and all) awards.
I have no clue whether either ribbon is correct and strongly suspect the ribbon on the round medal is quite wrong.
I see several possibilities here:
-- An "order" (the star) and "medal" class for different periods of service?
-- They are really for two different sorts of service (military and labor?) and you just "know" from the design diffences? A single award with two divisions?
-- Suspension bars are being married with medals to create "mules"?
-- Something else entirely is going on?
So much remains to be learned about these (and all) awards.
