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ORIGINAL: Ron Saueracker

Being a member of the Royal Canadian Legion I've had the honour to have met many decorated vets from WW2 and Korea and one thing that strikes me is that Commonwealth military personnel rarely win medals compared to US personnel. Just look at the rows upon rows of decorations on US personnel, many of whom have not even seen combat. I went on a military exercise in Grayling, Michigan in 82 and basically everybody in the US units, regardless of rank, had some. More like the Cub/Eagle Scouts achievement badges than medals. The rows upon rows of medals on some guys rival some of the banana republics.[:)]

No offence but it strikes me as somewhat excessive.

The US Military awarded ribbons for a lot of things other than combat, so almost everyone qualified for several things like "Theatre Service Awards" and "Good Conduct Awards" and such. I think it was the Marines who started the rumour that the Army Air Corps got a ribbon for getting out of their nice warm bunks in the morning. But if you don't know which ones to look for, the "fruit salad" does give the impression of some "banana republic dictator". Commonwealth awards tended to be more subdued and serious and hard to get---which meant the Yanks could put on a better "show" for the available females. That's probably the real reason for the Tommies irritation. Then of course there are the Russians who like all of their "tin" clanking on their chests at any opportunity. A Soviet Marshal could sound like a blacksmith's shop in a stiff breeze...

If you only have lousy soldiers, you have to make them feel better by putting medals on them. [:'(]
Brits and Germans really had to earn theirs!


[;)]

With the exception of the Air Corps, US troops had to "earn" their "combat decorations" just like anyone else. Actually they were a bit fairer than the Brits about awarding the highest medals to the lower ranks.

And those lousy troops with their inferior weapons still managed to kick the Germans back to the Elbe from starting points like OMAHA beach..., so they must have been doing something right

Tss... Tsss...Mike, take humor the way it is...

"If you only have lousy soldiers, you have to make them feel better by putting medals on them" isn't humor...., it's a slur on the accomplishments and sacrifices of a generation of American Soldiers. Parking a "happy face" behind it doesn't change that.

ORIGINAL: Mike Scholl

"If you only have lousy soldiers, you have to make them feel better by putting medals on them" isn't humor...., it's a slur on the accomplishments and sacrifices of a generation of American Soldiers. Parking a "happy face" behind it doesn't change that.

Mike...I love you dude....

ORIGINAL: Frank

If you only have lousy soldiers, you have to make them feel better by putting medals on them. [:'(]
Brits and Germans really had to earn theirs!


[;)]

Though Mike covered this for me I can't resist...

Most soldiers don't fight for medals. They fight their buddies next to them. Most people I've met who have been awarded medals for action in combat, including myself, barely think they deserve it, nor do they think of themselves as heroes. But someone did. Audie Murphy seems to fall in this category.

The fact that one army "Seems" to have awarded more medals is certainly debateable. But you should consider how often and for how long that army goes to war. How many of the participants have been involved in any sustained armed conflict since WWII? Maybe that is what happens when in addition to cleaning up your own mess you have to help clean up everyone else's mess too...

The Congressional Medal of Honor has been awarded 3,461 times since 1863. The "Thousand Year Reich" lasted all of what? 12 years?

Medals are used by states to promote the efficiency of their armed forces. Maybe Hitler and Goering should have given out more medals instead of pinning them on each other...