Is it possible to access a specific medal citation?

BlochWave

As in the accompanying report? My father speaks precisely zilch about his Vietnam experience and we don't press, and as a kid when I asked about his medals the reply was something like "they called me in one day and was like oh hey you're getting a medal"

So of course curiosity gets the best of me. One's a bronze star, and I forget what the other is offhand, it was...green, or had green prominently placed, and I think a fairly common medal(EDIT: Army Commendation Medal), as was the bronze star. So common was the bronze star that such a listing of citations like I just asked for doesn't apparently exist on the internet(pretty much such a thing only exists for the MoH and I think a still incomplete listing for the DSC)But still, somebody had to write it down once upon a time

Mister Longbaugh

I'm pretty sure the citation exists only in his military records now. More than likely he kept his records, so you'd have to ask him to see them. There's generally no database of some of the lower medals like the bronze star, since they're fairly common during war time. The medal of honor database is only a recent thing to keep people from falsely claiming they were awarded it.

Fizban140

The green one could just be the ribbon for the campaign. I doubt there is a way to get the records without his consent though, we didn't learn about what my grandpa did in WW2 until after he died.

MegaMan001

I know that I couldn't find out what my uncle did in Vietnam past that he was a paratrooper without his consent. My uncle died about 20 years before I was born, came home from Vietnam - threw out all of his medals and reportedly threw his records into the backyard barbecue.

To this day no one knows what he did in Vietnam past the fact he was a paratrooper.

If you find a website or anything, please post it - I'd really like to know more about him.

DrZiplock

Fizban140 wrote: »

The green one could just be the ribbon for the campaign. I doubt there is a way to get the records without his consent though, we didn't learn about what my grandpa did in WW2 until after he died.

How did you find out after he passed?


It's been 8 years since my grandfather passed away and he was one of the most remarkable men I've ever had the honor of knowing. We don't know much about his service record (WWII) but we do know that he was a side gunner on a bomber and had to ditch at least once.

We got that information from him, but I don't remember how...for the most part he really didn't speak of it. Hell, I don't even know what unit he was with. Kinda sucks because when I was living in England for a time I would have liked to have visited a few of the places that he did.

Any help getting into the right direction would be great.

(Sorry if this seems like a thread hijack, OP, it's really not the intent, just a kindred curiosity)

Fizban140

DrZiplock wrote: »

Fizban140 wrote: »

The green one could just be the ribbon for the campaign. I doubt there is a way to get the records without his consent though, we didn't learn about what my grandpa did in WW2 until after he died.

How did you find out after he passed?


It's been 8 years since my grandfather passed away and he was one of the most remarkable men I've ever had the honor of knowing. We don't know much about his service record (WWII) but we do know that he was a side gunner on a bomber and had to ditch at least once.

We got that information from him, but I don't remember how...for the most part he really didn't speak of it. Hell, I don't even know what unit he was with. Kinda sucks because when I was living in England for a time I would have liked to have visited a few of the places that he did.

Any help getting into the right direction would be great.

(Sorry if this seems like a thread hijack, OP, it's really not the intent, just a kindred curiosity)

I don't remember, the next time I talk to my dad I will ask him. Also, I am in the military so maybe I could figure something out.

DrZiplock

Fizban140 wrote: »

DrZiplock wrote: »

Fizban140 wrote: »

The green one could just be the ribbon for the campaign. I doubt there is a way to get the records without his consent though, we didn't learn about what my grandpa did in WW2 until after he died.

How did you find out after he passed?


It's been 8 years since my grandfather passed away and he was one of the most remarkable men I've ever had the honor of knowing. We don't know much about his service record (WWII) but we do know that he was a side gunner on a bomber and had to ditch at least once.

We got that information from him, but I don't remember how...for the most part he really didn't speak of it. Hell, I don't even know what unit he was with. Kinda sucks because when I was living in England for a time I would have liked to have visited a few of the places that he did.

Any help getting into the right direction would be great.

(Sorry if this seems like a thread hijack, OP, it's really not the intent, just a kindred curiosity)

I don't remember, the next time I talk to my dad I will ask him. Also, I am in the military so maybe I could figure something out.

I'd appreciate that. Thanks much, man!