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All Officers in VN were automatically awarded Bronze Stars and if they did anything, the Silver Star. The higher your rank, the higher the medal. This, unfortunately, degraded the medals' worth.

The U.S.Army, in some units, passed out the Bronze Stars as they would have a Good Conduct Medal - further denegrating the award.

Silver Stars, for an enlisted, no matter which service, were EARNED - usually at the expense of your life. Higher awards definitely deserve the utmost respect.

The Navy/Army/AF Cross and higher HAD to be earned.

Just my personal experience in the USMC from Jan 69 - Mar 81

Awards given out by rank:

2nd Lt = Bronze Star
1st Lt = Bronze or Silver
Captain = Silver
Major/Lt Col = Silver + Legion Merit, etc
Col + = Whatever they wanted almost

7 posted on 02/07/2004 4:31:15 PM PST by steplock (www.FOCUS.GOHOTSPRINGS.com)

Your post is incredible bullsh*t. Shame on you. My husband earned every decoration he has and didn't take any Purple Hearts.

22 posted on 02/07/2004 6:44:24 PM PST by annyokie (There are two sides to every argument, but I'm too busy to listen to yours.)

This, unfortunately, degraded the medals' worth.

IMHO, the Silver Star was degraded by MacArthur giving it to Congressman and Lt. Cmdr. Lyndon Baines Johnson for being an
observer on a single bombing raid that was under fire for about 10 minutes.

I wonder how many of the other flight crews in that raid received that medal for that mission?

29 posted on 02/07/2004 7:51:39 PM PST by Calvin Locke

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