To: XJarhead
Is this a branch-specific thing? I've read that the Army has given out more Medals of Honor than any other branch of service (because their standard for giving the medal is more liberal than that of other branches) - do you know that to be true, and does that translate into other awards as well?
To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
I can't say what the current practice is, but I recall that there was a huge disparity in the number of medals awarded per soldier v. per Marine in Grenada. I remember seeing those stats awhile back, and perhaps someone else can dig them up for you.
My sense is that the Corps is much tighter on the awarding of medals, but I can't really quantify that for you. But if your dad was an Iwo Jima vet, I'm quite sure that he earned any medal he was awarded, and probably some he wasn't. Semper Fi.
To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
The Army is the largest of the 4 (sometimes 5) branches. As far as I can recall the USN awarded more MOH in WWII than any other branch. Yes there has been a devaluing of medals over the last 50 years.
We were not there so how are we to judge. I probally have a medal or two that some people feel that I should not have gotten. No choice of mine, but my superiors thought that I deserved them. I humbly accepted them and stated I did not deserve them.
Wellsfargos husband
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