mlees
Posts: 2263
Joined: 9/20/2003
From: San Diego
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Let me ask:
As I understand it, a recommendation for a medal for combat heroism is submitted by the service members CO.
In the US, doesn't Congress (the Senate?) has the last, but not the only say, in approving these combat medals? If the recommendation got to the Pentacon, and was shot down there (for whatever reason), that's it, right? Congress won't generally over-rule the military's "disapproved" decision, correct?
Hypothetical:
Private Anderson takes part in the Battle of the Bulge. Capt Woodchuck submits a recommendation for Private Anderson to receive the Silver Star and Purple Heart (postumously). The recommendation gets approved until it reaches the Pentagon. There, General Pantsinawad recalls serving with Private Anderson, and that Private Anderson was a wife beater, resulting in disciplinary actions and personality clashes. So, the General denies the medal. I know there's an appeal process, but generally, the odds are low (or at least glacially slow) that the medal will get approved. In the scenario above, as long as General Pantsinawad is around in the chain somewhere, he will block (or lobby for blockage of) the medal.
How plausable is the above scenario?
A medal for serving in a combat theatre during wartime (like the medal mentioned in the link above) is awarded based on the time you served in the area. Generally, the verbage will be something along the lines of "for serving in active duty in the Pacific Area of Operations, between the dates of 7 December, 1941, and 1 September, 1945".
So, if you report for duty at Pearl Harbor on 10 August, 1945, and get assigned picking up cigarette butts off the ground around the post exchange, you should still get the theatre medal.
What might block such an award, is if some paper work snafu made it seem as if you didnt report for duty until 10 September, 1945, for example.
I dont know the story behind the snafu in the link provided in post #1. Maybe the guy arrived after Armistise Day (11 November 1918), but before the Germans actually signed the Versailles Treaty (June 28, 1919). The USN probably maintained patrols during that period. *shrugs* Dunno. Pure speculation on my part. I don't have a problem calling him a WW1 vet in any case, and honoring his service.
< Message edited by mlees -- 11/11/2006 9:45:11 PM >
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OT: Medal slightly overdue - 
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