Your suggestion would have worked. . .If I had known this was what she was going to do. But, sadly, I did not know mother was going to remove them until just before closing of the casket.
I offered to purchase an extra set and let him be buried with his honors but to my mother those were “his” medals and she didn't want to have a copy. She wanted his.
(These medals were your basic type, name not engraved, usual medals one gets when earning a Legion of Merit, MSM, Outstanding Unit. . that sort of stuff. However, mother was adamant and I could see any pushing on my part would have been very bad. . .and my last wishes are very clear on my uniform and medals requirements.)
That is so sad. I am prior service myself and know how important that must have been to your dad. I can also empathize with your mom. Had you been given enough warning, you could have given your mom the medals prior to the funeral and had the new “shiny” medals buried with him.