04-18-2008, 11:11 AM
Kirchgoens Wrote:With 3.2 mil serial numbers, I'd guess our boy here got three catch-up awards on the same day from the same source, most probably for three different actions on three different dates that could have been spread across any period of time in the war. In other words, these three high and consecutive serial numbers will probably tell you absolutely nothing about when and where the action took place.
That's exactly it. Apparently the unit didn't have a stock of awards on hand and it waited until the supply situation caught up or the rapid Soviet advance didn't permit a more responsive awarding. When the situation died down and there was time for an award ceremony, all three came at the same time.
I looked at the award card and all three awards were awarded for JAN-FEB '45, two of which were even awarded within 10 days of each other. At first glance this would blow out of the water my comment above about the unlikelihood of 3-4 valor medal awardings in a short period in the last days of the war, but it may validate it even more.
If the set in question that started this thread is legitimate, why would the medals be from such disparate sets of serial numbers?
