MILITARY DECORATIONS
EDUARDO C. GERDING
A man will fight long and hard for a piece of coloured ribbon-Napoleón Bonaparte
Military decorations´historical background 25
The legions of the Roman Republic already had a sophisticated system of honors and decorations in the 1st century BC. Such is the case of the Corona Obsidionalis (Blockade Crown), the highest of the decorations, which was awarded to officers and commanders whose actions had saved a legion or the entire army. The decoration took the form of a crown made from plant materials taken from the battlefield, including grasses, flowers, and various cereals such as wheat.12,18
-Corona Obsidionalis -Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grass_Crown
https://www.quora.com/What-types-of-medals-and-honors-did-the-Roman-army-have
In England the first medals for distinguished conduct were awarded by Charles I during the English Civil War (1642-1651)
The inauguration of the Victoria Cross dates back to January 29, 1856, and was awarded to any rank who had served the Queen in the presence of the enemy through some act of valor or devotion to their country. The first time the VC was awarded, in June 1857, was to 62 soldiers and officers who participated in the Crimean War. Queen Victoria herself, in an ornate ceremony in London's Hyde Park Gardens, personally pinned the precious medal to her chest.
The Argentine Army has published the honorary military recognitions that the Argentine Republic has historically granted, starting with the Perdriel Shield of 1806 for the combat in the Chacra de Perdriel (Perdriel ranch) (currently Villa Ballester Oeste, General San Martin district).26
On the afternoon of December 23, 1806, during the First British Invasion to the River Plate, the combatants received from the council a decoration known as the "Perdriel shield". It, worn on the left arm, was oblong, made of gold and weighed half an ounce. It had the arms of the city of Buenos Aires in relief and carried the motto "V.o T.s R. C.o q.s Td.s de B.s A.s", that is: Voluntarios Reconquistadores de Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires’ Reconquest Volunteers). 5
How difficult it is to award decorations
This can be summarized in Winston Churchill's statement on March 22, 1944: 14
¨The object of giving medals, stars and ribbons is to give
pride and pleasure to those who have deserved them. At
the same time a distinction is something which everybody
does not possess. If all have it, it is of less value. There
must, therefore, be heart-burnings and disappointments
on the borderline. A medal glitters, but it also casts a
shadow. The task of drawing up regulations for such
awards is one which does not admit of a perfect solution.
It is not possible to satisfy everybody without running the
risk of satisfying nobody. All that is possible is to give the
greatest satisfaction to the greatest number and to hurt the
feelings of the fewest.”
Main Military Decorations 3,4
We will mention only the main decorations and most prestigious recent mentions.
The Victoria Cross (Victoria Cross or VC) is the highest British military decoration for valor "in the face of the enemy". It is awarded to members of the Armed Forces (military of any rank) of countries belonging to the Commonwealth. 30
It was introduced in 1856 and has been issued 1,356 times. Throughout its more than 160 years of existence, the distribution of the VC in the Armed Forces has been 832 medals for the Army, 107 for the Navy and 31 for the Air Force.
It is only awarded for acts of extraordinary courage in the face of the enemy and that entail extreme risk to one's life.
For the medal to be awarded, it must be proposed by direct witnesses of the heroic act, who know the protagonist and his deed. Afterwards, a careful selection of data and details is carried out.
It is so strict that only 10% of those proposed for the medal are accepted. It must then be ratified by the monarch.
26 VC have been awarded to soldiers of Gurkha regiments. The first was in 1858 and the last in 1965. Thirteen of the recipients were British officers serving in the Gurkha regiments.
It is such a prestigious decoration that King George V recommended in writing to his Government, in 1920, that it could never be withdrawn regardless of the acts subsequent to its granting to the winner, and that even those awarded with the VC who were sentenced to death, could have the privilege, if necessary, of proudly carrying it to the scaffold.
In the Malvinas Conflict only two posthumous Victoria Crosses were awarded to two officers of the Paratrooper group (PARA 2 and 3).
The last VC awarded was on 22 August 2013 to a Lance Corporal of the Parachute Regiment who took part in Afghanistan.
-Victoria Cross-National Army Museum.
https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/victoria-crossThe Elizabeth Cross
It is the first medal to bear the name of the late Queen. It was established in 2009 for special recognition to the families of those who died in military operations against terrorism. It also recognizes casualties from conflicts up to 1948, including the Korean War, Malvinas and Northern Ireland.
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) 19
It is an order of chivalry founded on June 4, 1917 by King George V. The British monarch is the sovereign of the Order and is the one who appoints the other members of it.
The OBE is awarded to people who have done something special for their country and the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) is awarded to people who have worked very hard in their community.
Honorary knights can be created if they are not British citizens. Few Argentines received the OBE, Jorge Luis Borges was one of them.
Mentioned in Dispatches (MiD) 31
It applies to members of the Armed Forces whose names appear in an official report prepared by a superior officer that describes to the higher command his meritorious action against the enemy. They are not awarded a medal but instead receive a certificate for their actions and wear an oak leaf on their campaign medal ribbon. MiDs are published in the London Gazette.
The Waterloo Medal
This is a military decoration that was awarded to all soldiers, non-commissioned officers and officers including members of the famous King's German Legion (KGL) who specifically took part in one or more of the following battles: Ligny (June 16, 1815), Quatre Bras (June 16, 1815) and Waterloo (June 18, 1815).
The Purple Heart 27
It is the oldest decoration in the US, created by George Washington on August 7, 1782 in Newburg during the Revolutionary War.
The Purple Heart is awarded to all military personnel of any branch of the armed forces, in the name of the president, who while on active duty have been injured or killed under various circumstances.
Until 1977, civilians from the Department of Defense could receive this decoration, but from that date onwards they were only awarded the Defense Medal of Freedom. In 1917 the Heart was awarded to the first woman (Chief Nurse in Belgium during the First World War).
Until 1962 it was also awarded to animals: a dog won two Purple Hearts in World War I and a horse received it twice during the Korean War.
-Schick, Joshua-The History of the Purple Heart-The National WWII Museum, New Orleans.
The Purple Heart is also awarded:
1. After March 28, 1973, as a result of any terrorist attack against the United States by any foreign nation.
2. After March 28, 1973, as a result of any military operation to maintain peace, outside the territory of the United States.
3. After December 7, 1941, for any injury as a result of a firearm in a military action, regardless of the origin of the fire.
4. By being taken as a prisoner of war or being captured.
5. For any injury that requires treatment from any medical officer.
Note:
The following have received the Purple Heart: Captain and Senator John McCain, actor James Garner (Korean War), Douglas MacArthur, John F. Kennedy and Kurt Vonnegut Jr (writer) among others.
In 2009, the US decided not to award the Purple Heart to those who had Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD). The Pentagon advisory committee said EPT was not the intended consequence of enemy action (such as a projectile or bomb) and was difficult to diagnose and quantify. 2
Cross “The Argentine Nation for Heroic Valor in Combat” 6.20
It is the highest military decoration awarded by the Argentine Republic. Law 22,607 (1982) and Law 24,229 of the Argentine Republic establishes that it will be granted to military personnel, personnel of the security forces, police forces or civilians, Argentine or foreign, who in combat motivated by extraordinary events have the character of a war function, carry out in isolation or in the exercise of command, a measurable action that stands out considerably from the patterns of conduct normally considered correct. 20 have been awarded and 8 posthumously.
In 2015, the Argentine Navy awarded the Cross for Heroic Valor in Combat to a Marine Lieutenant and, post mortem, to a class 62 conscript (Both from the Nácar Company of the 5th Marine Corps Battalion)
Cross “The Argentine Nation for Heroic Valor in Combat”
http://www.aposmalvinas.com.ar/cruzhvc.htm
Military Decorations are established in Law No. 24,020, sanctioned on November 13, 1991 and De facto Promulgated on December 10, 1991. There are other decorations such as: To Those Killed in Combat, To Those Wounded in Combat and To Combatants. The Argentine Navy in turn grants: Honor to Valor in Combat, Effort and Selflessness and recognizes the Distinctions: Wounded in Combat and Combat Operations
Medal "The Argentine Nation for Valor in Combat"
It is the second highest military decoration proposed by the Argentine Republic. (Law 24,020/1991 and Law 25,576). It states: "The performance in the South Atlantic War is recognized for its relevant merits, courage and heroism in defense of the Homeland." 321 were granted and 64 were posthumous.
Why some military do not want to receive the decorations
Some soldiers suffer from what is called “survivor's remorse” and others, knowing the real circumstances, feel guilty about the decoration they received.
Former US President Dwight Eisenhower rejected the Medal of Honor awarded by Congress and former President Truman also rejected it. The latter said that said : decoration was for an act of courage in combat and that it was not right to change the intention of it just so that he received it. 4
Why some military return the decorations 9
In 2008, in a symbolic gesture, 50 Gurkhas returned their prized Long Service and Good Conduct medals to the British Government. This was because Gurkhas who retired before 1997 did not have the right to settle in the United Kingdom, even though many of them served more than 25 years in the British Army and had seen combat. Furthermore, pensions for years of service before 1977 were substantially lower than those awarded after that date. 13
Eighty-seven-year-old Gurkha Regimental Sergeant Major Pun Tulbahadur, awarded the Victoria Cross, waits outside 10 Downing Street ready to return his medals to the Prime Minister after being denied free medical care. (Gurkha,87, who won the VC returns war medals to Downing Street after being refused free hospital care. Mail On Line-25 June 2008.)
In the case of the Gurkhas, political considerations have been addressed in the book Return to Tumbledown.28
Several Polish combatants who had fought and been decorated during the Second World War as members of the British Armed Forces settled in the northern Argentine provinces. When the Malvinas Conflict occurred, they expressed solidarity with the Argentine position and returned the decorations that accredited them as heroes of the Second World War.
Such is the case of Stefan Szymula who served in the Polish armed forces under English command from April 1, 1942 to May 1, 1947.
Another case is that of Ceslao Ligenza, who formed the organizational base of the RAF (Royal Air Force) for seven years, serving as an expert in air communication from the bases of Dunkerke, Normandy, Belgium, France and Nuremberg. Ligenza was decorated by the Belgian, French and English governments in recognition of his acts of bravery. 24
In our country and, for political reasons, Lieutenant Colonel (R)VGM Emilio Guillermo Nani wanted to return his decorations. This war veteran, also wounded in the right leg on June 14, 1982 (the last day of the confrontation with Great Britain over the Malvinas Islands), has a large scar that runs across his face from the right malar to his ear: it is the mark that the combat in La Tablada left on him. Because of her, he spent 22 days in intensive care at the Churruca Hospital. 8
Why some military were given decorations, were taken away and given again 7
The British authorities returned the medal for Long Achievement and Good Conduct to British war veteran Joe Ousalice (radio operator in the Malvinas) from whom they had taken it in 1993 when he confessed that he was gay.
Gay people were banned from serving in the British armed forces until a legal reform in 2000.
How some military have lost their decorations 15
Such is the case of war veteran Luis Castellini who had his jacket with all his medals and beret stolen in the heart of Mar del Plata.
Why some military sell their decorations 23
Such is the case of Andy Legg, Captain of the Special Air Service (SAS) who participated during the Malvinas conflict in Operation Plum Duff. Legg was angry and regretful about this task and told all the details of its failure. "I was not blamed (for the failure of the mission) but inside I felt bad because our colleagues had died in the South Atlantic and nothing happened to us," said the soldier, who recently decided to sell due to his anger the medals from the Malvinas War and the map of Tierra del Fuego that he used for the mission. 11,16
Gaffoglio, Loreley-Operación Mikado: la frustrada misión encubierta para eliminar el ¨arma argentina¨ que asolaba la flota británica en Malvinas. INFOBAE, 22 de junio 2019. Ingham, John-Falklands SAS hero to sell his medals won for Argentine raid. Express-Mar 9, 2018.
Why do some soldiers have so many decorations?
Such is the case of North Korea and it is very difficult to know the specific details of each medal. There are medals for Service and Longevity, Participation in Military Campaigns, Political Loyalty, Propaganda and Symbolism and Leadership and Command. 21
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4keWxXjjDLA
The psychological impact of military decorations 1,10,17,29
Rose Spijkerman from the Department of History at the University of Ghent (Belgium) published an interesting article where she analyzes the circumstances surrounding the granting of military decorations and, in doing so, explores their effects, evaluates the behaviors generated and the emotions that are generated. they produce both in soldiers and in their commands.
To do this, he carried out a study on the military personnel of the Belgian Army during the First World War and many of his concepts are still valid. Most historians do not reflect the psychological aspects of decorations in military personnel.
The following observations stand out:
1-The criterion used
The Belgian Army considered that a soldier who stayed at his post during an intense bombardment, a nurse who rescued or assisted a wounded soldier or an officer who helped his men in difficult times did nothing more than fulfill their duty.
Only those acts of extreme courage that exceeded what was normally expected were decorated. They considered that granting too many decorations devalued it.
2.The dissemination of heroic acts
The list of soldiers decorated by the Belgian army was published in widely circulated newspapers such as the
Annuaire de l’État Militaire de Belgique and La Belgique Militaire, which existed since the 19th century.
3.The decoration ceremony
The ceremonies became extremely important for Belgian soldiers when King Albert I preceded them.
This is because Albert I personally took control of his country's troops at the outbreak of World War I and came to lead operations in the Battle of Yser that took place between October 16 and 31, 1914. .
Belgian soldiers tended to act heroically when they were valued by their superiors who raised their self-esteem and pride. Then the fight took on meaning.
4.Variation of the characteristics required for the decoration
Some required characteristics such as devotion and courage remained stable over time. However, courage was not a widely used premise in 1915. In 1914 more than half of Belgian soldiers were awarded for exemplary conduct (belle conduite) but this was reduced and not used in 1918.
On the latter date, in the midst of the counteroffensive, exposure to danger and sangfroid came to be rewarded more.
Corollary
What is the concept of an action that should merit a decoration 22
Master Sergeant Leroy Petri, recipient of the Medal of Honor (for his action as a Ranger in Afghanistan in 2008) said at the US Army Madigan Medical Center:
"You don't have to wear the uniform to be a hero to
someone. You don't have to save somebody's life … being a
hero to somebody can be as simple as helping them out
when they're having a hard time or a hard day, or
listening to their problems, and trying to find them help
when they need help, recognizing that person when they
need help,"
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