How Can You Tell What Is A Fake Military Medal vs. A Legitimate One?

[Ladyzekke]

This weekend I went out to lunch with my parents and my dad had a big trashbag full of old old stuff of mine, he's been cleaning out the attic apparently. Much of the stuff was total junk LOL, although there were some letters in there that I wrote my grandmother, she must have kept them -- one is as old as 1978 LOL. Anyways, inside this dirty nasty pink cosmetic bag was a ton of dirty pennies, and two objects that look like medals. No idea whose they are or how they got there. I know my Grandfather was in the military, could be his perhaps but odd they'd end up not in my parent's possession but in that cosmetic bag. So I'm thinking they could be fake medals. I mean I imagine there are places that make fake medals, although I have no idea why one would want a fake medal LOL.

Neither one of these medals say a dang thing to identify them. One appears to be wings that may or may not be silver. Has an emblem on it but no text. The back of it only has printed what I reckon is the company name who made it, i.e., N.S. Meyers, Inc., New York. IT also has "9/M" whatever that means. The other medal is on a very small ribbon (two inches) that is dark blue and yellow, with a brass hexigon (I think! ugg) shaped medal that appears to be brass that only says "Military Merit". There appears to be a bar below the words where I would think something should be engraved there, but nothing is. So again, seems fake.

Any ideas?

[Ladyzekke]

Here are a few pics I took of them, the best shots I could get since it's night and I never get good pics with lamplight LOL:

[mad=dog]

The first one is likely a service badge. From the loose description it could be a WWII pilot badge (remember that the airforce was part of the army back then).
http://www2.powercom.net/~rokats/wwiibadges.html
I was unable to locate a US medal that corresponds to the second. That does NOT mean it is necessarily fake. First of all I am no expert, not by a long shot. Furthermore it may be awarded by a foreign country while on overseas service. Get it appraised. It is probably not worth a penny without papers of authenticity, but it could be a fond memory.

[Bungleau]

I just found the first one here. It's an Air Force Commendation medal awarded after 1958.

I didn't find anything good on the other one, but I did find this, a link that tells you where to contact the government for replacement medals. They can also tell you what medals you've earned, and that might clue you in.

Good luck!

[Felix The Assassin]

Both are legit USAF issue. If the medal is in fact Yellow and Blue then it is the USAF Commendation. Go here for follow on info, you might even be able to get the citation re-produced.
http://www.amervets.com/replacement/afcm.htm

The insignia inside the wings are of the specialty, 'Navigator'.

The USAF birthday is 18 SEP 1947.

FYI, all of my Army Commendation medals have that hard to distinguish look as well. Especially when you look at the reverse and see that 'copyright' "For Military Merit" stamped upon it. The fake ones are 'not' authorized to use it, making it easy to tell them apart.

[Cloudbringer]

Guess that means they are legit, LadyZ! Wonder if they were your grandfather's or maybe they belonged to an uncle or someone?

[Ladyzekke]

Thanks for the informative replies! Well at least I know that they aren't fake. So hopefully I'll hear from my parents soon so I can find out if they were my Grandfathers. I sure hope they are cause if not then I have badges/medals from I don't know who, and no way of identifying any person connected with these badges/medals. Hate to just toss them though in the trash even if I don't know whose they are. Just seems disrepsectful to do so.

Ah well, hopefully they are my Granddad's. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Again thanks guys for your links, I was thinking that there were probably those here that could easily help me identify them. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 09-16-2005, 08:54 PM: Message edited by: ladyzekke ]

[Felix The Assassin]

I still have to wonder about it being from your Grandfather. Was he a career man? I'm thinking you are married with children, living your own life, in your own house. Went to the beach for vacation, and rode 4 wheelers. That means Grandfather is young, or he was in for awhile?
1. The Air Force was not released from the Army until 1947.
2. The AFCM was not authorized until 1958, prior to that they continued to issue The Army Commendation Medal, which is green with white striping. Just my final [img]graemlins/2cents.gif[/img]

[Ladyzekke]

LOL funny how you gathered bits and pieces from posts and came up with a personality for me. But not exactly so as you described it though.

My Granddad in question died when I was about 12 or 13. I never at that age took the time out to ask him about his career or military status or anything. I did though know that my Granddad did NOT talk about his military times, cannot recall how except for somebody in my family must have told me at some point when I was a kid.

I am married, mostly, LOL, no kids though. I live my life pretty much freely with only so many responsibilities, i.e., bills, job, car, etc. Nobody supports me and I don't support anyone either. Live paycheck to paycheck, but not surprising if you know what it's like in the DC Metropolitan area. LOL, I rode THREE wheelers as a teen, got pretty good at it too, but that was ages ago and 3 wheelers I think now are outlawed and you can only buy 4 wheelers now. I did so want to rent some last year when we all went on vacation to the Outer Banks, Corova, where you have to drive on the beach to get to your rental house. That would have been a blast but alas, any rentals were not closeby and only rentable in a "group trail" capacity, no just taking it, etc. Bah. Guess you have to own your own to be able to take full advantage of those dunes LOL.

So no Grandfather wasn't young. Heck my grandparents married at age 30 or so before even having kids!

Not sure Felix what you mean re your 2.

[Felix The Assassin]

Nope, no personality profiles, just as you said bits and pieces from different post'.

I'm trying to point out that medal was not even created until 1958. I'm the youngest of a long deep family line. From Grandfather forward, WWI, Father and 5 Uncles WWII, couple Aunts and 3 Uncles Korea. Of Which 'Beer' very rarely speaks of his USAF early days, and has both ARCOM and AFCM from his USAF service of 1956-1960.

My spousal unit is the oldest from a younger family. Grandfather forward, WWII early. Father Air Force Vietnam era.

I do hope this medal turns out to be a treasure for you.