My brother, Oscar J. Butonschoen, was awarded "Knight of the Order of Leopold II with palm", and the "Belgian Croix de Guerre with palm" (Belgian Decree # 1577, 1945). Apparently these are rather high awards from the Belgium Government but I can find anything on why he earned them. I read that if a recipient was cited in an order of the day, a palm device was added to the ribbon. Would there be a copy of this "order of the day" somewhere? And also, is there a difference between between a "decree" and an "order of the day". Thank you for any information that might shed some light on what he did to deserve this honor.
Hello and welcome to the forum. Can you tell us with whom your brother served, particularly the nationality?
Thank you for the welcome--I'm a member of the WWII Forum and forgot I'm a newbe here. He served with the 2nd Armored Division, U.S.Army. The entire Division earned a unit award of the Croix de Guerre which entitled my every member to wear the Belgium Fourguerre w/ colors of the Croix de Guerre for liberating Belgium. I believe the individual awards my brother received was earned during the Battle of the Bulge for aiding in stopping the Offensive.
Afraid I have no idea where to begin with this one ... only au fait with British/Commonwealth system of recommendations. I hope there are others here who might have suggestions on how to further your investigations. Good luck, Diane
Why you don't try to contact Belgian Royal Museum of Armed Forces? http://www.klm-mra.be/klm-new/engels/main01.php?id=menu_links/startpagina
The award that you are asking about was earned in September 1944, months before the Battle of the Bulge. The 30th Infantry Division and the 2nd Armored Division of the XIX Corps of the First Army. They were the first U.S. troops and Allied troops to enter Belgium.
