Us bronze star medal

Guys

Do any of you know how I would go about looking up how my late grandfather was awarded the US Bronze Star. we have the medal but no documentation with it. What was it normally awarded for and is there any way of finding out how he was awarded it? Where would I begin? Many thanks

 

It would probably help if you posted your grandfathers service details.

Regards
Peter

 

Thanks Peter - good point. Here you go.

Major Frank William Purvis P/113629 - Reconnaissance Corps

Enlisted as 6970645 at London into the Rife Brigade TA - 05.09.39
Posted to 164th Officer Cadet Training Unit - 15.9.39
Discharged to a commission - 13.1.40
Appointed to an Emergency Commission as 2nd Lieutenant into the Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment - 14.1.40
Joined Infantry Training Centre - 29.1.40
Embarked for BEF - 5.2.40
Joined No1 Infantry Base Depot (France) - 8.2.40
Returned UK from BEF - 3.6.40
Posted to 1st Battalion - 29.6.40
Posted to Anti-Tank Company 12th Infantry Brigade 7.9.40
Posted to 6th Battalion Black Watch and appointed Acting Captain 24.11.40
Posted to 4th Battalion Reconnaisance Corps - 8.141
Transferred to Reconnaissance Corps 14.1.41
To be temporary Captain War Substantive Lieutenant with 4th Battalion - 24.2.41
To be adjutant 4th Recc Corps - 12.2.43
Embarked for overseas - 13.3.43
Disembarked North Africa - 23.2.43
Moved from British North Africa Force to Middle East Force - 15.12.43
Moved from Middle East Force to British North Africa Force 28.2.44
Permanently attached to HQ Indian Division to be Deputy Assistant Adjutant General (Malaria) 10 Indian Division with rank of Lt Colonel - 5.12.44
Relinquished appointment of DAAG (Malaria) 10 Indian Division 15.7.45
Attached to 65 Transit Camp on Disembarkation - 23.7.45
Released - 22.1.46
Relinquished commission and granted the honorary rank of Major - 30.06.57
Medals - 1939-45 Star, Africa Sra with 1st Army Clasp; Italy Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45, Mentioned in Despatched London Gazette 23.5.46; Bronze Star 1945

 

I don't know the answer to your question, but for non-US personnel to be awarded the Bronze Star, my understanding is that they must have been assigned to or operating with US forces. I don't see any such assignment in your grandfather's service details. Do you have any idea as to which of these assignments might have put him in close relationships to the Yanks? That might help figure out what he did to earn the BS. Doc

 

I was not aware that it could be officially awarded to persons who were not members of the the US Armed Forces. This is not to say that he could not have been awarded one in an unofficial capacity...

 

That's what i thought but we have the medal with his name on it. Any idea where I start to look?

 

Doc - I believe it was in Italy. After Monte Cassino he was working with the US army on some malaria issue - apparently the germans encouraged the spread of mosquitoes in lowland italy prior to the Allied invasion and somehow he was working with something called the malaria division.

 

A lot of british and commonwealth forces made up the US 5th army; it was not unusual for members to be given foreign service medals whilst in this capacity. For specialist units ths likely hood probably increased as they were more divisional/corps/army based.

 

Jeff, yes it can be-- that is specifically covered in the regulations.

SPER056, that would sound reasonable. People in positions like that are exactly the ones who would get such an award, especially if the mosquito project was successful.

Unfortunately, I can't give any guidance as to how to track down an award document. 5th Army Medical History might be of some help, if one exists. Doc

 

SPER056

Could you take a picture of the back of the BS and post it. I have one that was issued to a Cdn who served with FSSF and only recently did the member get his award from the US. I'd like to compare the engraving styles.

thanks.

phil

 

Spero56

You just reminded me that my old tank commander "Busty" Thomas also had the bronze star:

Thomas, William
Warrant Officer Class 2
7340821
Royal Armoured Corps, 4 Queen's Own Hussars
Foreign to British: USA
Bronze Star


Ron

 

Guys

Thanks so much for the advice and help. Will get a picture up and the presentation box in the next few days. spero

 

Jeff, yes it can be-- that is specifically covered in the regulations.

SPER056, that would sound reasonable. People in positions like that are exactly the ones who would get such an award, especially if the mosquito project was successful.

Unfortunately, I can't give any guidance as to how to track down an award document. 5th Army Medical History might be of some help, if one exists. Doc

I'll not argue with you, I looked for the regulations before I posted, but the only thing I could find was this:

While serving in any capacity in or with the Army of the United States after 6 December 1941, distinguished himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service

I guess "with" could mean persons from other nations?

 

Jeff, see AR 600-8-22: "1–38. U.S. awards to foreign military personnel
a. It is the Department of Defense policy to recognize individual acts of heroism, extraordinary achievement or meritorious achievement on the part of service members of friendly foreign nations when such acts have been of significant benefit to the United States or materially contributed to the successful prosecution of a military campaign by
Armed Forces of the United States. Such acts or achievements will be recognized through the award of an individual U.S. decoration.
b. U.S. campaign and service medals will not be awarded to members of foreign military establishments.
c. Foreign military personnel in ranks comparable to the grade of 0–6 and below, at the time the act was performed and at the time the decoration is presented, may be awarded the following military decorations:
(1) The Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, or the Air Medal for valorous acts in actual combat in direct support of military operations.
(3) The Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in direct support of combat operations.
3–14. Bronze Star Medal
a. The Bronze Star Medal was established by Executive Order 9419, 4 February 1944 (superseded by Executive Order 11046, 24 August 1962, as amended by Executive Order 13286, 28 February 2003).
b. The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Army of the United States after 6 December 1941, distinguished himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military operations against an armed enemy."

This is from the 2006 edition of the regulation. I do not have available the WW2 version, but I suspect it was not very different.



Doc

 

Sorry, I don't know why that one posted twice. If moderators could remove one of the duplicate posts, I would appreciate it. Doc

 

Doc

You can easily delete your own post .

EDIT
DELETE

Confirm the delete

Done !

Cheers

Ron

 

Ron, thanks for the suggestion, but when I click on "Edit", I do not get any kind of a "delete"button. Where is it? Thanks again. Doc

 

Doc

Have a look below.

These are the options that pop up for me when I hit the EDIT button.
As you can see, one of the options is DELETE.

I wonder if this is one of those options that is controlled by the moderators ?

Perhaps one would care to comment ?

Ron

 

Guys

Here we go - not the best quality but this is the US Bronze Star awarded to my grandfather - his name is n the back of the box - Major FW Purvis. Not sure this helps at all. Apologies for the picture quality but let me know if there is something else I should look for on the award that could tell me more.