01-26-2003, 02:27 PM
While slightly off topic, this may address US attitudes.
A teacher of mine in high school had served in the US army during and after WWII. Sometime in the early- mid-1950s, he was a senior sergeant in his unit. And the colonel was staging a full-dress inspection.
One slightly older private, who rarely spoke to anyone but was well-known for his professional (combat) skills turned out for inspection. This was at a time when everyone had the National Defense Service medal for "being there" during the Korean War period. And the older pivate turned out without (!) his single medal. And the colonel chewed him, and the captain, and the sergeant (my teacher) out for this, ordering him at the next inspection to wear "all his medals". (You may guess where this is going.)
Next inspection, the private turned out wearing his National Defense Service Medal. And his Iron Crosses (Knight's Cross, First Class, and Second Class), and his gold wound badge, and his Anti-Partisan Badge, and his East Front Medal, and his SS service medals, and other assorted hardware. And this was before the "purified" badges without swastika appeared.
This was the last time the colonel made his demand for "all medals".
Ed Haynes
A teacher of mine in high school had served in the US army during and after WWII. Sometime in the early- mid-1950s, he was a senior sergeant in his unit. And the colonel was staging a full-dress inspection.
One slightly older private, who rarely spoke to anyone but was well-known for his professional (combat) skills turned out for inspection. This was at a time when everyone had the National Defense Service medal for "being there" during the Korean War period. And the older pivate turned out without (!) his single medal. And the colonel chewed him, and the captain, and the sergeant (my teacher) out for this, ordering him at the next inspection to wear "all his medals". (You may guess where this is going.)
Next inspection, the private turned out wearing his National Defense Service Medal. And his Iron Crosses (Knight's Cross, First Class, and Second Class), and his gold wound badge, and his Anti-Partisan Badge, and his East Front Medal, and his SS service medals, and other assorted hardware. And this was before the "purified" badges without swastika appeared.
This was the last time the colonel made his demand for "all medals".
Ed Haynes
