Question on WWII vets
My great uncle was a marine from 1945-1958, served in China and Korea but also had the WWII victory medal. Would he be technically a 'WWII Vet even though he joined after the Peace treaty was signed?
좋아요 비율 높은 순
댓글 정렬 옵션 열기
좋아요 비율 높은 순
좋아요 많은 순
최신순
찬반 대립
과거순
Q&A
He never saw combat in the Pacific, but he joined during the awarding period for the medal is what I’m picking up here
He enlisted in august or september of 45 and served occupation in china and japan.
He enlisted when the possibility of combat was real and was shipped out to replace men who were rotating out on points. The atomic bomb changed his destiny.
There are many times the WWII and other campaign medals have been awarded at the very end of a conflict despite the individual being awarded having no “true experience” in that war.
My grandad was also awarded the WWII victory medal but it was because he served on the tail end of the war (drafted in early 1945). By the time he had completed his occupational training and pre-mobilization training and was being shipped to the pacific as a replacement, the war was over. He wound up be apart of the first wave of the occupation army in Japan at a hospital between Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Another example is the GWOTSM. This is currently awarded to US Service Members for supporting an operation anywhere in the world relating to the war on terror (i.e. flying a drone in Iraq from an office in the states as an example). That’s more of a blanket award though where the WWII Victory Medal or the GWOT-E SM are more for serving in support of some type of operation.
My favorite somewhat modern example is the Southwest Asia Service Medal. The first campaign period is the build up (DESERT SHIELD), the second campaign period is 1/17/91 - 4/11/91 which is the shooting part (DESERT STORM), the final campaign period runs to 11/30/1995 but doesn’t really have a cool name and many orders issued during that period still referred to DESERT STORM. Explaining that certain people are Saudi Arabia vets but not DESERT STORM vets is challenging
Perfect example! haha
GWOT no longer being awarded. It was discontinued 2-3 years ago
It’s still being awarded for continued missions under OEF and a smattering of other operations.
Here’s the current award announcement with approved operations from HRC.
If he joined after the Japanese signed the surrender docs and never engaged in combat against Japanese holdouts, I'm going to say no. He was a WW2 era vet. For instance, you wouldn't say someone who served in the Philippines during the late 60s or early 70s was a Vietnam vet.
"World war 2 era vet" they all got the victory medal.
I would say he is a WWII vet.I believe 46 is the cut off. The peace still wasn’t a sure thing at that point.
Yes, Truman officially declared the war over on 12/31/1946, which is the official end date for receiving the medal.
He rates. It was awarded up to 1946.
My grandpa joined in 1946 and got it. He was part of the occupation of Japan and hes classed as a ww2 vet
No
You’d typically need a campaign medal to call yourself a vet of a given war. Modern equivalent would be Iraq, Afg, Inherent Resolve, and GWOT Expeditionary vs GWOT Service medals to consider yourself a vet of a conflict.
YES HE WOULD
Anyone who served Dec 7 1941 to Dec 31 1946 got that medal. Jimmy Carter had one even though he didn't comission until 1946.
It's a piece of heritage you should be proud to have.
I believe it was issued to anyone who served on active duty or reserve until December 1946 with no minimum time of service.
I would personally say yes.
Criteria for the WWII Victory medal was between 07Dec41-31Dec46. My dad was a Army draftee, and served between Feb46-Feb48. Yeah, he got one of those too. Edited to correct discharge month from Sept to Feb. (need more coffee, lol)
He’s probably qualified for the Army of Occupation medal.
No
Not a WWII vet but an Iraq combat vet. The only answer is yes because the War Department (at the time) says so. To get a little deeper the vets on here saying no may not understand the unique perils of an occupation force. It’s also worth pointing out exactly what the earlier poster said Joined the Marine Corps, the most battered service in WWII with maybe some possible exceptions among Air Corps and Navy bombers knowing what was coming.
The war didn't "technically" end until 1946, so there is overlap with the Victory Medal and Army of Occupation Medals between the people that most would consider WWII Vets and the Post War servicemen.
The WW2 Victory Medal was authorized until 31 December 1946. If he was in the military before that date it was awarded.
The World War 2 Victory Medal was awarded until December 31, 1946. I feel anyone awarded that medal is a World War 2 veteran.
The reason is that the war doesn't technically end with the surrenders. There's a lot of technical paperwork and the national equivalent of a trip to CIF befor it's official because it can still break out again until it's done.
Historians will back date it to the surrender if it doesn't start up again. BUT, the medals were issued until it was done and they don't take them back.
Your relative joined in a period while the allies were still carrying loaded weapons and not turning their backs on the other side.
You see this a lot, and it's largely based on when you joined. I qualify for several medals that I didn't technically earn somewhat because I commissioned prior to several medals being deactivated. My NDSM for example was awarded upon completion of OTS, even though we had already pulled out of operations elsewhere.
I wouldn’t think anyone would tell him he wasn’t
Do the Department of War and VA consider him a WWII vet? Yes.
Does society consider him a WWII vet? Not really.
What the DOD and VA consider is the only thing that matters. Monetarily speaking.