15 June, 2006 Edition - Welcome to the Orders, Decorations and Medals Website, which we update several times per week, so do visit often. News items are available for a short time before being transferred to the Medals by country section. This website consists of links to online news items and other websites related to medals. Please keep in mind that the accuracy of information contained in news items and websites may not necessarily be accurate and should only be used as a starting point for detailed factual research using primary and reliable secondary sources.

 

  15 Jun 06

  • Australia

    • Guy Barnett- Australianise our honours system It is time to replace the June Queen's Birthday holiday with an alternative day with more relevance to Australia's heritage and for the Australian people, especially our young. Indeed, this long weekend holiday has little relevance to the Queen's Birthday, let alone significant relevance to any Australian historical context. We could move the awarding of the Queen's Birthday Honours to Australia Day or Anzac Day so that public service and civil awards are announced on Australia Day, January 26, with military and bravery awards announced on Anzac Day. After all, we have been missing historic opportunities to enhance Anzac Day and Australia Day as the profound statements of Australian nationalism that they deserve. The 1995 Report of the Review of Australian Honours and Awards noted there were two sets of announcements each year, one on Australia Day in January and another set on the Queen's Birthday in June. It recommended: "These should be moved from the Queen's Birthday to Anzac Day. Public service and civilian awards could be announced on Australia Day and military and bravery awards on Anzac Day." The report believed that the defence-related awards announced on Anzac Day would enhance the day and give it more dynamic significance, with greater focus on Anzac Day. theaustralian,news.com.au 12 Jun 06

    • PM says no to honours changes The Prime Minister, John Howard, has ruled out changes in the Queen's Birthday awards system following calls from two of his predecessors to either move the date or change the selection procedure. The former prime ministers Gough Whitlam, who introduced the Australian honours system in 1975, and Malcolm Fraser, who reinstituted knights and dames, told the Herald the awards should not be handed out on the Queen's Birthday holiday. Mr Fraser said he would like the date of the awards to change when Australia became a republic. smh.com.au 13 Jun 06

  • France - Legion d’Honneur for Fr Cedric Prakash Indian Human rights crusader Fr. Cedric Prakash, sj, Director of Prashant, Ahmedabad-based Jesuit Centre for Human Rights, Justice & Peace, has been awarded with highest civilian decoration of France, the Legion d’Honneur Fr. Prakash, who testified before the US Commission for International Religious Freedom in Washington against the Gujarat carnage, received a message from the Ambassador of France in India , Dominique Girard in this regard. The award, “Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur” (Knight of the Legion of Honour),  will be conferred on Fr. Prakash by the French Ambassador. Fr. Prakash has been a champion of the cause of Human Rights in Gujarat and in other parts of India . chaindia.com 9 Jun 06

  • Malaysia - RAAF men return for medals 42 RAAF servicemen and their spouses were here to receive the Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM) award in recognition of their services defending the country during the Emergency and the Indonesian Confrontation. nst.com.my 09 Jun 06

  • India - A glimmer of hope After the Army's silence on the mysterious death of Captain Sumit Kohli of the 18 Rashtriya Rifles, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee has asked the Army to submit a report on the Captain's death. The Army has, till now, maintained that Captain Kohli committed suicide, whereas his family says he was murdered and the army is trying to cover up the entire incident. The family had even sent a petition to the Defence Minister and the Army. Defence minister Pranab Mukherjee is finally talking about a case that has raised so many questions. Was the death of gallantry award winner Sumit Kohli a murder or a suicide? Kohli's 25-year-old wife Deepika refuses to accept the army's claim that her husband ended his own life. She claims it was murder and that it was a cover up. This claim has been seconded by this anonymous letter the family received. timesnow.tv 9 Jun 06

  • Britain - Major Bruce Shand Father of the Duchess of Cornwall, decorated for gallantry during the withrawal from Dunkirk. Commissioned into the 12th Royal Lancers from RMC Sandhurst in 1937, he showed marked military ability and personal gallantry in the early years of the war; but for an unlucky chance which led to his capture in the Western Desert in 1942, it is likely that he would have gained command of an armoured regiment well before the end of hostilities. The story of the confusion on the roads as the BEF first advanced and then withdrew in Belgium in 1940 is well known. Shand must have caught the eye of Colonel (later General Sir) Herbert Lumsden as a brave and resourceful troop leader, as he got all the difficult jobs of defending access to bridges while they were prepared for demolition and watching over likely enemy lines of advance. As the general situation deteriorated with the separation of the British and French armies, the 12th Lancers were withdrawn to La Panne just north of Dunkirk, then ordered to march several miles down the beach for embarkation. He was awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry during the withdrawal. timesonline.co.uk 12 Jun 06

    • Major Bruce Shand Bruce Shand emerged from Rugby to join the Army as a second lieutenant in the 12th Royal Lancers. When war broke out in 1939, he became a hero by earning two Military Crosses – Military Cross and Bar. thehearld.co.uk 12 Jun 06

  • United States - Four corrections officers honored for exemplary bravery New York Correction Officer Carl Hillman was on his rounds at the Elmira Correctional Facility last year when he grew suspicious because the door to a prison counselor's office had been closed during a meeting with an inmate. When Hillman opened the door to check, he found the female counselor beaten unconscious by the inmate. He jumped over the desk, chased off the attacker and called for help that saved the victim from more serious injury. Hillman, 47, was one of four state Department of Correctional Services staffers awarded the department's Medals of Merit, presented each year to employees who have displayed singular courage and outstanding service in the line of duty. The three others were honored for two separate incidents involving the rescues of people from burning vehicles. Randall Calhoun, 41, a correction officer at Auburn Correctional Facility, pulled an unconscious 17-year-old driver from his flaming vehicle in March 2005 and revived him, saving the teenager's life. Sergeant Randy Bedore, 42, and Correction Officer Bobbi Jo Facteau, 35, showed similar heroism when they drove up to the scene of a three-vehicle wreck in May 2005 and found a driver trapped inside a vehicle that was smoking and leaking gasoline. The two had been taking part in a training exercise at the time of their discovery. They pulled the driver free and waited for emergency crews to arrive. Since the awards program began in 1984, there have been 88 medals of merit presented. The department currently employs about 30,000 people at 69 facilities across the state. slive.com 8 Jun 06

  • Ivory Coast - Décoration des mères Elephants - Et les pères dans tout ça - The mothers of the 33 soccer players who brought the Ivory Coast to the World Cup of Soccer have been awarded the Order of Sports Merit. The article asks why the father's were awarded the Order as well. Article in French. lefaso.net 12 Jun

Note: The following stories are medal related, but will not be archived on the website:

  11 Jun 06

  • Australia - Once again, bravery comes at a high price The citation for the Victoria Cross awarded posthumously to the most highly decorated Australian soldier at Gallipoli eloquently sums up his bravery, sacrifice and larrikin spirit. "For most conspicuous bravery at Lone Pine Trenches … On the morning of 9th August, 1915, with a small party, Captain Shout charged down trenches strongly occupied by the enemy and personally threw four bombs among them, killing eight and routing the remainder. "In the afternoon of the same day … he captured a further length of trench … and continued personally to bomb the enemy at close range, under very heavy fire, until he was severely wounded, losing his right hand and left eye. "This most gallant officer has since succumbed to his injuries." Now Captain Alfred John Shout's Victoria Cross - one of only nine to be awarded to Australians at Gallipoli, and the last in private hands - is to be auctioned along with the rest of his medals in Sydney on July 24. His elderly grandson is ill and has decided to sell the heirloom to provide for his children. It could match the world record for a Victoria Cross, according to Giles Moon, head of collectables at Bonhams & Goodman. That sold for $583,000 in 2004. "There's no real precedent," Mr Moon said. "It is difficult to value something so rare. Australians have an emotional attachment to Gallipoli." A spokeswoman for the Australian War Memorial, confirmed the other eight Gallipoli VCs are in its collection, all donated or loaned. "The Australian War Memorial does not buy VCs," she said. smh.com.au 8 Jun 06
  • United States - SECNAV Pins Bronze Star on Pensacola Corpsman Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Dr. Donald C. Winter, presents the Bronze Star to Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Reginald C. Dean, at Pensacola Naval Hospital. The NAS Whiting Field Corpsman received the medal for heroic action while serving with an Army unit in Iraq. news.navy.mil 2 Jun 06

  • United States - Guard's 155th To Be Honored In Ceremony In Jackson The soldiers in the 155th - including Mississippi soldiers from 49 communities - shipped out in January 2005 and returned a year later. The soldiers came home to widespread praise. Individual medals awarded to the troops in the 155th include 123 Purple Hearts, 328 Bronze Stars, 2,000 Combat Badges and one Silver Star, said Maj. Gen. Harold A. Cross, Mississippi's adjutant general. The one Silver Star was awarded posthumously to Sgt. Robert Shane Pugh, a 25-year-old combat medic from Meridian, who directed other soldiers how to care for a seriously wounded comrade even as Pugh was dying himself. The Silver Star is the third-highest medal awarded by the Army for gallantry. The full 4,000-member brigade was made up of soldiers from Pennsylvania, California, Washington, Texas, Puerto Rico, Virginia, Missouri, New Jersey, South Carolina, Vermont, Utah, and Arkansas. The troops were attached to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force and operated in a hotspot known as the "Triangle of Death'' in the Karbala, Najaf and Babil provinces of Iraq. wlox.com 1 Jun 06

  		•  United States - Lund At Large South Dakota 's most decorated Vietnam vet, Michael Fitzmaurice of Hartford shared his story in a rare interview this week. A year after graduating from Iroquois High School, Army Specialist Michael Fitzmaurice was flying dangerous rescue missions aboard a helicopter with the 17th Cavalry, 101st Airborne. He was among those assigned to Kehsanh. Fitzmaurice had just gotten off guard duty and headed for the bunker he shared with three buddies. That's when a company of elite North Vietnamese troops attacked. “It was about 2AM. Luckily I was awake. Then it all started happening,” Fitzmaurice says. Three grenades landed in his bunker. He was able to toss two of them out then grabbed a flak jacket and threw his body on the third. The blast threw him from the bunker, seriously injured his eye and blew out his eardrums. But his buddies were unhurt. So he charged straight at the enemy until his rifle was damaged by another grenade blast. He overcame a North Vietnamese soldier in hand-to-hand combat, found another weapon and, in spite of serious injuries, continued to inflict casualties Fitzmaurice says it's hard to explain what comes over a person in that situation. “No, I really don't remember much about it. Once you go into the mode it’s....” Others who were there and who are alive today because of his gallantry that night "did" remember. They remember how Specialist Fitzmaurice kept fighting like a man inspired and, though badly hurt, refused to leave his post until the battle was over. They remember that Specialist Fitzmaurice would spend the next 13 months in the hospital. They remembered to nominate Specialist Fitzmaurice for the Congressional Medal of Honor which he received in 1973. Michael Fitzmaurice has never been comfortable with the label of hero. Few real heroes ever are. As of this week, there are just 112 surviving Congressional Medal of Honor winners in the entire country. Michael Fitzmaurice will always be humble about it, but he'll also always be proud to have it. keloland.com 2 Jun 06

  • Canada - Department of National Defence: U.S. Presidential Unit Citation Presented to Joint Task Force Two The Canadian Forces unit (CF) Joint Task Force Two (JTF 2) was presented with the United States Presidential Unit Citation. JTF 2 received the citation for its outstanding contribution to the multi-national Special Operations Forces task force in Afghanistan in 2002. "This presentation of the United States Presidential Unit Citation serves to recognize the outstanding work and contribution of all members of JTF 2," said Minister of National Defence, Gordon O'Connor. "This unit continues to play a pivotal role in the safety and security of Canadians at home and abroad through its efforts in the campaign against terrorism." "JTF 2 has proven to be a significant enhancement to our combat forces in the campaign against terrorism," said Chief of the Defence Staff, General Rick Hillier. "This recognition, one of few publicly recognized events we've had due to the unit's counter-terrorism role, serves to highlight the significant impact that JTF 2 continues to have on behalf of all Canadians and our allies." On December 7 2004, the President of the United States presented the Presidential Unit Citation to the Commander of the Joint Special Operations Task Force - SOUTH (JSOTF-SOUTH) for its success during operations in Afghanistan from October 2001 until April 2002. Canada's JTF 2 was one of several international units in JSOTF-SOUTH who have been formally presented with this citation. ccnmathews.com2 Jun 06

  • Portugal - Bill Gates awarded Portugal Order On 31 January, 2006 Bill Gates was awarded the Grand Cross of the Portugal Ordem Infant don Enrique, which is pictured left courtesy of Emmanuel Halleux. Does anyone have a complete list of Bill Gates medals? If so, please email me.

  • Canada - Fighting for a warrior's legacy The legend of Francis Pegahmagabow is being reborn. More than half a century after the Ojibwa warrior's death, in August 1952, the winner of three Military Medals for bravery is gaining a recognition that eluded him, almost entirely, during his troubled post-war life. "He was a forgotten almost immediately after the war ended," says Adrian Hayes, a Newmarket author who published a short biography of the former Parry Island chief in 2003. "He was a hero in Europe, but he went back to being `just an Indian' at home." Pegahmagabow will be honoured, as the Base Borden headquarters of the 3rd Canadian Rangers — a Native Canadian militia outfit — is renamed in his honour. The move came after Ranger commanding officer, Maj. Keith Lawrence, came across Pegahmagabow's medals by chance last year at Ottawa's Canadian War Museum, where they were recently put on permanent display. An effort is also underway by his Wasauksing First Nation band to have the former 1st Battalion corporal recognized by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board as a person of national historic significance. And Pegahmagabow, it turns out, is also the inspiration for author Joseph Boyden's best-selling novel, Three Day Road, which tells of a troubled First Nations sniper and his horrific World War I experiences. "I firmly believe if he had been a white, protestant soldier doing (what he did), he would have been a Victoria Cross holder, he would have been recognized in the history books," says Boyden. Instead, when he returned to Canada in 1919, Pegahmagabow, who was also shot during the war, entered a life of poverty, bigotry, mental and physical suffering, and obscurity, says Hayes, whose book Pegahmagabow: Legendary Warrior, Forgotten Hero details his rise and fall. Pegahmagabow's first medal, recently discovered documents showed, was earned for running messages through heavy enemy fire and bombardments across the radio-less battlefield at Mount Sorrel, Hayes says. His second, at Passchendaele, cited Pegahmagabow's bravery and leadership as he took over the direction of a crucial relief effort when his commanding officer was incapacitated. At the Battle of the Scarpe, his unit being surrounded by Germans and running low on ammunition, Pegahmagabow climbed out of the trench and ran through enemy fire to get more, Hayes says. thestar.com 4 Jun 06

  • New Zealand - Queen's Birthday Honours- McRaes honoured for lifetime roles They met treading the boards at university, and nearly 50 years later their relationship has taken another dramatic turn - actor Elizabeth McRae and husband Don have both been made Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours list. nzherald.co.nz 5 Jun 06

  • United States - Country Star's Son Honoured with Medal Country star and Grand Ole Opry member John Conlee's son, Marine Lance Cpl Johnny Conlee, is to receive a Purple Heart medal for bravery. Conlee received shrapnel wounds when an improvised bomb exploded near his unit in Anbar, Iraq in December (05). He also served in combat operations against insurgents around Fallujah and provided security for the Iraqi elections. pr-inside.com 6 Jun 06

  • Britain - Honours for Britain's oldest man Britain's oldest surviving war veteran has celebrated his 110th birthday at the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne. Henry Allingham was presented with a letter of good wishes from the Queen by Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown at the five-star seafront hotel. Mr Allingham is the last remaining RAF founder member and the only remaining survivor of the Battle of Jutland. His military honours include the British War Medal, Victory Medal and the Legion D'Honneur. news.bbc.co.uk 7 Jun 06

  • New Zealand - Laing humbled about latest honour Legendary swimming coach Duncan Laing is not at all comfortable being known as a man of letters. The Dunedin-based coach's long service to the sport was recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours when he was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM). Having already been awarded an OBE under the previous honours system for his services to swimming, Laing now has so many letters attached to his decorated career that he doesn't know what to do with them. A number of high-profile sporting figures were recognised in the honours, with New Zealand Rugby Union chairman Jock Hobbs and former All Blacks captain joining Laing with a CNZM. Another three were made Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit - former All Blacks leader Tana Umaga, netball and sports administrator Fay Freeman, of North Shore, and Palmerston North's Peter Gillespie, who was recognised for his services to business and sport. As well, there are five new Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit to emerge from the wider sporting community. The most prominent of those are former rugby league international Tawera Nikau and former cricketer Maia Lewis. stuff.co.nz 5 Jun 06

  • United States - War medal from France expected 52 years late Roger Hallingstad is waiting for a medal from the French government for helping the French fix airplanes in Vietnam in 1954. It has been 52 years, after all, since he was "volunteered" as an Air Force mechanic - Airman 2nd class - to join a controversial project in Do Son, Vietnam. As a newspaper account in 1954 described it, Hallingstad was one of "three Wisconsin boys in a group of 296 airmen of the far east air force sent to this inflamed appendix of Asia to help the French repair American-loaned planes. They call it: 'Operation Help the French.' " Hallingstad and his fellow servicemen were promised a raise in rank and pay, plus a medal from the French government. What he got, he said, was "zip." In a handwritten note to U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, he politely wondered what happened because "nothing was said after we returned to Japan . . . and after I was discharged in California on Aug. 9, 1954." "We were able to determine from his military records that he had earned three medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal. We had to contact the French to find out if he was eligible for a medal from them," she said. An April 17 letter from French Ambassador Jean-David Levitte to Baldwin's office said Hallingstad appears to be eligible for the French Medal of Indochina. All that's needed is proof of his dates of arrival and departure from Do Son and the name of the French unit to which he was attached. Hallingstad, it turns out, was a player in the 1954 siege of Dien Bien Phu, a pivotal battle of the French occupation and war in Vietnam. In doing so, he became one of the first American Vietnam war veterans. President Dwight Eisenhower had loaned planes to the French to assist in airlift missions to the French troops surrounded at Dien Bien Phu. The planes, with CIA pilots, were even altered to carry French markings to keep the American aircraft loan secret. The surviving American pilots from Dien Bien Phu received the French Legion of Honor last year. Hallingstad's presence was evident via an article in the Milwaukee Journal, which detailed the mission and included photographs from the site. The correspondent, Ernest L. Zaugg, included this prescient paragraph in his article about the Wisconsin airmen, who said they were surprised to be sent to Vietnam. madison.com 5 Jun 06

  • Trinidad and Tobago - Trinidad government scraps 'Trinity Cross' as nation's highest Award What was once Trinidad and Tobago's highest national award, the 'Trinity Cross', is no more. Prime Minister Patrick Manning made the announcement in Parliament that the Trinity Cross will be replaced, making way for a new award in time for this year's Independence Day Awards Ceremony. The announcement ended years of heated debate among individuals, non-governmental organizations, private sector groupings and non-Christian religious groups. They contended that the nation's highest honor in the form of the Trinity Cross was an anomaly which had to be corrected to reflect the true multi-ethnic and multi-cultural nation that has become Trinidad and Tobago. Some argued that the Trinity Cross had strong Christian overtones which discriminated against non-Christians. The issue was also brought up in the Port of Spain High Court and got the nod that changes be made to the nation's highest honour. Government has now appointed a special committee, which has one month to look at other national emblems and awards. The Trinity Cross, (abbreviated TC) was awarded to persons for distinguished and outstanding service, gallantry in the face of the enemy, or for gallant conduct. Either nationals or non-nationals can be awarded the honour, but no more than five may be awarded in any year. The President is awarded the Trinity Cross in an ex-officio capacity. The award was first presented in 1969. This and other awards in recognition of national and outstanding service will be changed by August of this year. caribbeannetnews.com 5 Jun 06

  • Jamaica - Whiteman Humbled by National Honour Former Information Minister, Burchell Whiteman is being conferred with the Order of Jamaica (OJ) by Governor General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Professor Kenneth Hall (left), for outstanding contribution to Education and the Legislature.  Mr. Whiteman was among 17 outstanding Jamaicans, who were conferred with National Honours and Awards, by special appointment. The appointments were made on March 29 by the Governor-General, on the advice of former Prime Minister P. J. Patterson, who retired from office on March 30. Others conferred with the Order of Jamaica were: Byron St. Michael Hylton, Q.C., for outstanding Public Service and contribution to the Legal Profession, and William Anthony McConnell, CD, for distinguished leadership in the Business and Export Industry.
    Six Jamaicans received the Order of Distinction in the Rank of Commander (CD). They were: Monica Anita Campbell-McFarlane, for contribution to the Communications Industry locally and regionally and to the Performing Arts; Doreen Frankson-Lewis, for contribution to the Manufacturing Sector and the Advancement of Industrial Production; Madline Audrey Hinchcliffe, for Entrepreneurial Enterprise and Leadership in Employer/Employee Relationships; Dr. Wayne Godfrey Reid, for services in Engineering and Public Sector Project Management; Carlton Earl Samuels, for contribution to Housing and Institutional Management; and Dr. Herbert John Thompson, for contribution to National Development through Education, Religion and National Service. He was however unable to attend the function and will receive his award at a later date. The Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer (OD), were presented to: Mavis Bernice Bowers, for services to former Prime Minister P. J. Patterson in his role as Member of Parliament; Debra Elaine Hamilton Crooks, for service as head of the former Prime Minister's personal support staff; Gene Hendricks Pearson, for distinguished performance in the Arts; and Karen Angela Smith-Jackson, for memorable performances as a Singer. In the meantime, the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service was presented to: Lorna Graham, for loyal service in the former Prime Minister's Constituency Office, and Shirley Lee Pryce, for services to the former Prime Minister's household and to the Jamaica Household Workers Association. The Badge of Honour for Long and Faithful Service was presented to: Phillip Anthony Dixon, for service to the former Prime Minister and to Jamaica House Personnel; and Jannette Marcia Morgan, for service at Vale Royal. jis.gov.jm 5 Jun 06

  • Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands - WWII veterans, kin seek medals for Pacific duty Jim Kaag of Morris Plains said a "lump gathered in my throat" after reading a Daily Record story on six local veterans awarded medals from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for their service in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Kaag's father fought with the 3rd Marine Division on the Mariana Islands of Saipan and Tinian and retired as a lieutenant colonel. Donald Kaag Sr. died last year at the age of 82. Officials from Saipan, the largest of the Mariana Islands, said that the medallions marking the 60th anniversary of the bloody, four-week long Battle of Saipan still are available. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3457, which is on Saipan, will continue distributing the medals free of charge to fellow VFW members, said veterans affairs officials from Saipan. Air Force veteran Ruth Coleman, the director of veterans affairs for the commonwealth, which represents about 15 islands including Saipan and Tinian, said the medals originally were minted in 2004 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Saipan. That battle, which raged from June 15 to July 9, 1944, cost the lives of nearly 8,000 Marines and Army soldiers. Jerry Facey, who headed the commemoration ceremony, said about 600 medallions have been issued so far. A native of Massachusetts, Facey moved to Saipan about 30 years ago. The commemorative medals were commissioned for a broad range of Pacific Theater veterans, not just those who fought on the islands, Coleman said. He said families of deceased veterans still should try to go through their local VFWs. dailyrecord.com 5 Jun 06

  • Angola - Le chef d`Etat-Major général des FAA condécoré en Russie The Chief of the Defence Staff of the Angolan Army General Agostinho Nelumba, has been awarded the Russian Medal for Soviet Veterans who have rendered service in Angola (médaille de l`"Union des Vétérans russes" qui ont rendu service en Angola. The medal was awarded to General Nelumba for having contributed to friendship and cooperation the the people of the two countries. Article in French. angolapress-angop.ao 6 Mar 06

  • Britain - Retiring after 32 years at Helm  The police chief whose job it is to catch Lancashire's criminal gang bosses retires next week. Detective Superintendent Robert Helm, 49, will call it a day after a 32-year career Mr Helm joined the force in 1975 and was awarded the Queen's gallantry medal in 1977. thisislancashire.co uk 7 Jun 06

  • United States - For all, a diary of D-Day Patricia Hamas' eyes welled with tears as she read excerpts from her late brother's diary about D-Day and the weeks of war that followed. One day after D-Day, Gerard Taggart wrote: "My dear God! What a day and what an experience. We hit the beach late morning and ran into anti-personnel mines, booby traps, etc." The diary details Taggart's experiences through the war, including an incident in which German troops gunned down wounded soldiers. "Briefly we were treating patients in an old barn when suddenly all hell broke loose and we were subsequently surrounded by Germans. The next thing we heard was German voices shouting, 'Come out -- hands high,' " Taggart wrote. "In an instant they turned the machine pistols on me and the group, killing aid men and patients. I fell down and played dead. "The German walked past us, searched the aid station and then moved on. I managed to get back in the barn and carry a few living patients along." Taggart managed to get the patients past enemy lines by using a Red Cross flag, actions that earned him the Silver Star. Taggart was a Catholic priest before volunteering for the Army shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack. But the desire to share the personal writings of Taggart, who died at 37 a few years after the war, has led Hamas to offer them for display at the Liberty Bell Memorial Museum in Melbourne. floridatoday.com 6 Jun 06

  • United States - World War II veterans receive French medals Six World War II veterans were honored with the French Legion of Honor for their service liberating France during the invasion of Normandy 62 years ago. Norman Bibeau of Somerset served in the Army as a medic and received a Purple Heart and Bronze Star after he was injured by a shell explosion.Samuel Allar of Yarmouth Port, Donald Christian of Leominster, and Bernard Delinsky of Framingham also received the Legion of Honor. Frank Molinari of Malden and Edward Dahlgren of Caribou, Maine, were honored at the ceremony, but Molinari could not attend because of health problems, and Dahlgren died Thursday. Twelve other New England veterans were awarded the medal April 28 in Northfield, Vt., as part of a continuing effort by the French government to honor American World War II veterans. boston.com 7 Jun 06

  • Vietnam - Canadian Consul General receives friendship medal The HCM City Union of Friendship Organisations presented the Medal of Peace and Friendship Between Peoples to Sanjeev Chowdhury, the Canadian Consul General in the city, for promoting understanding between the two countries. Ho Thi Minh Nguyet, president of the union, said that in addition to diplomatic responsibilities, Chowdhury had enthusiastically organised and participated in activities to bring the two peoples closer. vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn 7 Jun 06

  • Pakistan - Musharraf To Decorate Three Turks With Medal For Their Contributions After Pakistani Quake Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf would award three Turks with a medal for their contributions to relief and rescue efforts after Pakistan was hit by a devastating earthquake last autumn, the Pakistani Embassy in Ankara said. Releasing a statement, the embassy stated that Musharraf would give medals to relatives of two Turks, Cenk Yakin and Ufuk Arslan who died during a fire in their tents in quake-ravaged Pakistan, and another Turk, Erva Yalem who donated her gold bracelet to Pakistani survivors. They will be awarded at a ceremony in Islamabad on June 20th. turkishpress.com 7 Jun 06

  • Mozambique - Mozambique- Malangatana Decorated With Highest Honour Mozambican President Armando Guebuza decorated the country's best known painter, Malangatana Valente Ngwenya, with the "Eduardo Mondlane Order", the highest distinction in Mozambique, "for his valuable contribution during colonial rule, and for his role as an instrument of political intervention and mobilization among the people". allafrica.com 6 Jun 06

  • Canada - Medals recognize years of service Cadet Flight/Sergeant Alyssa Holley, a member of 22 Red Knight Squadron Royal Canadian Air Cadets, received the Lord Strathcona medal, the highest award presented to the most deserving cadet with a high level of community involvement and who sets a good example for his or her peers. Cadet Warrant Officer Daniel Parker received the Royal Canadian Legion Cadet Medal of Excellence (Air) from William Demkiw, president of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 164 Powell River. The Legion Medal of Excellence is presented to a cadet with a high level of community involvement and who sets a good example for his or her peers. This involves promoting good will within the community and squadron as well as aiding group identity and cohesiveness. Holley and Parker, along with Cadet Flight Sergeant Alicia Butula, also received the Air Cadet Service Medal. Janice Hogan and Frank Morrow of the Provincial Branch Sponsoring Committee of the Air Cadet League of Canada and Major Don Hogan, the ACIC (Area Cadet Instructor Cadre) officer for Vancouver Island, presented the medals. zwire.com 6 Jun 06

  • Canada - Remise des décorations et des citations A number of Quebec Police medals have been awarded. 2006 recipients are: Croix de Bravoure - Lieutenant Michel Basque, Sûreté du Québec and Agent Christian Demers, Sûreté du Québec. Medaille Pour Action Meritoire - Agent André Corbin, Service de police de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu,  Agent Christian Duguay ,Sûreté du Québec,  Agent Alexandre Gilbert, Sûreté du Québec, Agente Nathalie Hervieux, Service de police de la Ville de Montréal, Agente Karine Langlois, Service de police de la Ville de Montréal, Agent Sébastien Lapointe, Service de police de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Lieutenant Claude Lefebvre, Service de police de la Ville de Québec, Agente Jennifer Leroux, Service de police de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Agent Stéphane Montpetit, Service de police de la Ville de Montréal, Agente Stéphanie Moreau, Service de police de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Agent Martin Pronovost, Sûreté du Québec, and Agente Julie Roy, Service de police de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. Citation d'Honneur - Monsieur Daniel Guy Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. During the period 1972 to 2006, a total of 25 Médailles de dévouement, 206 Médailles pour action méritoire, 58 Croix de bravoure, and 160 Citations d'honneur have been awarded by the Quebec Government. Article in French. communiques.gouv.qc.ca 8 Jun 06


Note: The following stories are medal related, but will not be archived on the website:

  8 Jun 06

  • Pakistan - UN honours Pakistani peacekeepers Posthumously Marking the International Day of Peacekeepers in New York, the U.N. honoured nine Pakistani peacekeepers who made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of peace while serving in different U.N. Peacekeeping Missions around the world during 2005. Pakistan’s U.N. Ambassador Munir Akram received the the Dag Hmmarskjold medals from the Under-Secretary-General of U.N. for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guhenno. The medals were awarded at the Ceremony posthumously to peacekeepers from 54 countries, including nine (9) UN peacekeepers from Pakistan. The fallen Pakistani peacekeepers who were awarded medals are: Sepoy Munir Ahmed, Havildar Bashir Ahmed, Sepoy Muhammad Amir, Khateeb Abdul Latif Chishti, Lance Naik Sadaqat Hussain, Naik/Clerk Zaigham Hussain, Lance Naik Noor Jamal, Lance Naik Inzar Ahmed Khan and Sepoy Abdul Zafran. They served in the United Nations Missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), Liberia (UNMIL), Burundi (ONUB) and Cote d’ Ivoire (UNOCI). pakistantimes.net 1 Jun 06

  • Germany - The teacher who clipped the Hun's wings It was supposed to be Erwin Boehme's big day. In a few hours time, the Kaiser himself was coming to present him with Germany's highest award for gallantry. This was his recognition for shooting down 24 enemy aircraft; it was also his absolution for bringing down his country's most famous air ace of the day. But before the presentation, Boehme had one more mission to fly. And that mission would bring him into conflict with a British flier named Captain John Pattern. In later life, Pattern was known to generations of schoolboys in Richmond, North Yorkshire, as "Joe". But it wasn't until he had retired from teaching and reached his eighties that Joe was persuaded to tell how he ruined Boehme's big day and brought him crashing down to earth. Darlington author and military historian Robert Jackson, a former pupil at Joe's Richmond Grammar School, recorded the story and now tells it in his new book. On the day in question - November 29, 1917 - Boehme's thoughts were on the Ordre Pour le Merite, the "Blue Max" as it was nicknamed. For him, receiving it from Kaiser Wilhelm II would help erase the memory of a dreadful mistake which had taken him to the brink of suicide. thenorthernecho.co.uk 1 Jun 06

United States - Officer receives valor medal For Susan Rizk, the day brought back difficult memories. For officer Ric Martinez, the day was not about his actions but the teamwork used in saving a woman's life. For the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, the day marked a rare opportunity in awarding one of its own its highest honor. The department held its annual awards ceremony honoring four employees who went above and beyond the call of duty in certain areas of law enforcement. The star of the day was the Medal of Valor, awarded to Martinez for his actions on Oct. 25 by interrupting a domestic violence incident where a man used a 2-foot long sword in allegedly attacking, and possibly trying to kill, Rizk inside her apartment. tahoedailytribune.com 1 Jun 06

  • China - It looks like the Japanese Order of the Golden Kite but with different colours and Chinese Republican flags (also it's been pointed out to me that the kite is facing the opposite direction from the Japanese original). Please email me if you have any information on this medal.

    According to Emmanuel Halleux, this medal was recently for sale on eBay by a Chinese dealer, and is a modern fake of medium quality. Since Chinese dealers don't know anything about medals and their significance, they have invented things which have never existed, such as this Japanese Order of the Kite award with Chinese script on the reverse, as pictured here. He also states that the breast star of the Striped Tiger has also been counterfeited at a large scale and can be found on eBay as well, quite often being described as genuine. The fakes always have an "unusual" reverse double safety pin and the central part of the tiger is NOT ENAMELED. Most genuine insignias were silver-gilt, while the fakes are silver. 

  • United States - Research reveals some details of Medal of Honor recipient's life Little is known about the life of war hero James Lott Hull, the only Congressional Medal of Honor recipient buried in Richland County, but a chance discovery during a genealogy project has brought forth some details about the man and his colorful history.  Hull enlisted in the Navy in 1898 and as a Fireman First Class “was with Dewey at the famous battle of Manila Bay,” where, on board the U.S.S. Concord just off the old Spanish garrison at Cavite Point, he performed the heroic deed that earned him the Medal of Honor. On May 21, 1898, an accident in the boiler room of the ship caused the severe explosion of one of the boilers, filling the compartment with dangerous steam and intense heat. “It seemed only a matter of time until the rising water would reach the boilers and the ship would be blown up,” the obituary states. “It was at this point that Hull volunteered to go into the steam filled room and try to shut off the water.” The effort also involved spraying water into the room with a firehose. One description of the event states Hull “exhibited great courage by entering the room to haul fires to prevent further damage to his ship, and to eliminate the danger to its crew.” The effort was a success, but not without a price: Hull “suffered terrible burns and scalds.” After his service in the Spanish-American War, Hull married Cordelia Martin, daughter of Isaac Martin and Virginia Powell, in June 1900 and settled down in Richland County as a farmer. He had not seen the last of war, however, and was called to service once again in World War I, where he rated a commission for his work in the Navy. olneydailymail.com 2 Jun 06

  • Britain - Marlow firefighters win medals Firefighters and staff at Marlow Fire Station have been rewarded for more than 20 years service to the community. Three staff based at the new retained station in Parkway are among 34 staff across the county to be given the Fire Service and Good Conduct Medal, which was introduced in 1954 by the Queen. The medal honours full and part-time staff for 20 years service, and watch manager, Richard Boast, 50, was one of the honoured firefighters. Awards: Cllr David Rowlands, Lord-Lieutenant Sir Henry Aubrey Fletcher, High Sheriff Alexander Boswell, Chief Fire Officer Damian Smith, Front: Firefighters Graham Field, Tony Heselton, Ian Newton, Des Williamson. bucksfreepress.co.uk 3 Jun 06

  • United States - Medal Of Honor Winner Passes Away An Aroostook County man who was the last surviving full-year Maine resident to have received the Medal of Honor is dead at the age of 90. Edward Dahlgren was awarded the nation's highest military honor for spearheading the rescue of a platoon of fellow soldiers that was surrounded during a German counterattack during World War Two, Dahlgren, a sergeant in the 36th Infantry Division, captured more than 20 German soldiers while killing and wounding several others during combat in France in February 1945. A native of Woodland, Dahlgren lived in Blaine and worked for 40 years as a seed potato inspector for the state. A street in Caribou and a hall at the former Loring Air Base were named after Dahlgren. wcsh6.com 1 Jun 06

    • Edward Dahlgren, 90; WWII Actions Earned Medal of Honor A sergeant with the 36th Infantry Division, Dahlgren captured more than 40 enemy soldiers and killed several others during fighting at Oberhoffen, France. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Dahlgren led his platoon to the rescue of a similar unit facing a German advance. The highly decorated Dahlgren left military service after the war with the rank of second lieutenant. His other medals included the Silver Star, three Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart and the French Croix de Guerre. He was awarded the French Legion of Honor in a ceremony in April. latimes.com 3 Jun 06

    • Ed Dahlgren long will be remembered Bangor Daily News - Bangor,ME,USA

  • Ghana - Saudi Prince receives State Honour President John Agyekum Kufuor conferred State Honour, "Order of Star of Volta, Civil Division" on Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdul Aziz Alsaud in recognition of his commitment to humanity and particular interest in Ghana's economy. The Prince annually donates about 150 million dollars to charity globally. ghanaweb.com 31 May 06

  • Britain - Revealed- extent of war hero's bravery The true story of a North-East war hero's Victoria Cross honour has been told in a new book. Although there is no doubt Captain Richard Annand deserved his medal, Dunkirk - Fight to the Last Man reveals how the details of his citation were incorrect. Capt Annand, of Durham City, who died age 90 in 2004, was the first person to be given the VC in the Second World War. The story of how he single-handedly drove back a German bridging party, inflicting more than 20 Germany casualties, before rescuing his injured batman in a wheelbarrow, has become part of Second World War legend. However, in his latest book, author Hugh Sebag-Montefiore, who interviewed Capt Annand's wife, Shirley, reveals because of his wounds, he was unable to bring his batman back to safety. Capt Annand's citation reads that he twice repulsed the bridging party using only hand-grenades when his ammunition ran out. It adds: "When the order to withdraw was received, he withdrew his platoon, but learning on the way back that his batman was wounded and had been left behind, he returned at once to the former position and brought him back in a wheelbarrow, before losing consciousness as the result of wounds." However, Mr Sebag-Montefiore said the citation underplayed Annand's heroism on the battlefield while spicing up the story of his batman's rescue. In fact, Captain Annand rushed down to the bridge three times, not twice. thisisthenortheast.co.uk 3 Jun 06

  • Canada - Anglican bishop honours three for service to church Three Anglican parishioners have received the Order of Huron from Rt. Rev. Bruce Howe, bishop of the Diocese of Huron David Embury, a member of the Church of the Holy Saviour in Waterloo, was honoured for his service as liturgical assistant, member of the choir and as chair of the diocese's administration and finance committee. Marilyn Malton, a member of the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Kitchener, was honoured for her work in youth ministry and as director of the Renison Institute of Ministry at Renison College in Waterloo. David Parson, of St. James' Anglican Church in Stratford, was honoured for his work as editor of the Huron Church News. therecord.com 3 Jun 06

  • United States - USCG Awarded PUC President George W. Bush thanks Adm. Thomas H. Collins alongside Master Chief Petty Officer Frank Welsh during the 2006 U.S. Coast Guard change of command. During the ceremony, President Bush presented the Coast Guard the Presidential Unit Citation for outstanding efforts during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

Note: The following stories are medal related, but will not be archived on the website:

  4 Jun 06

  • New Zealand - Goff puts forward case for posthumous VC Defence Minister Phil Goff has asked Buckingham Palace to award a posthumous Victoria Cross to New Zealand soldier Haane Manahi. Mr Goff, who is in Britain following trade talks in France, said he and representatives of Mr Manahi's Te Arawa tribe, had presented his case to the Queen's private secretary. Mr Goff said Sergeant Manahi's bravery was shown "time and time again" when he led Maori soldiers up a mountainside in an attack on German positions in North Africa on 1943. Sgt Manahi's effort was recognised by "the entire chain of command" including four generals who signed his citation for the VC and yet it was not granted. "The original citation and supporting sworn statements are compelling evidence of Lance-Sergeant Manahi's conspicuous bravery," Mr Goff said. "We are exploring with the Queen's advisors whether his case can be reconsidered, mindful of the fact that the consistent position of the monarch since the late 1940s has been not to revisit such decisions." Mr Goff said Sgt Manahi was one of the many soldiers whose gallantry went unrecognised during the conflicts in which New Zealanders served. stuff.co.nz 26 May 06

    • Palace hears Goff's plea to right WWII injustice Defence Minister Phil Goff says he had a "positive meeting" at Buckingham Palace to get a Maori soldier the Victoria Cross which he was recommended for but never received. Lance-Sergeant Haane Manahi, from Rotorua, was put forward for the VC for his bravery and leadership at Takrouna Ridge, North Africa, in 1943. But despite the recommendation being backed by three generals and a field marshal, he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal instead. Manahi died in 1986, but his former World War II comrades, family and tribe have tried since to have the "injustice" overturned. The Queen could use her royal prerogative to overturn the original decision signed off by her father, King George VI.  "We've our fingers crossed waiting for the best-case scenario - that the VC can be given." nzhearld.co.nz 27 May 06
    • Monarchist League Considers VC Review It has been reported that Defence Minister Phil Goff has this week asked Buckingham Palace to reconsider the decision to not review the award of a VC to Lance-Sergeant Haane Manahi. It is unfortunately that Mr Goff has been reported as asserting that Manahi's gallantry was "unrecognised". The sergeant, as did many others who were originally nominated for the Victoria Cross, received the Distinguished Conduct Medal. This is almost as highly regarded as the VC. Ultimately it is both unwise and unhelpful to attempt to second-guess decisions of more than sixty years ago. It is impossible to say with any certainty now whether or not Sergeant Manahi ought to have received the VC rather than the DCM. But he didn't, and the matter should be left to rest. There is no reason why this one case should be treated as special, or why the long-standing principle of not reviewing such decisions should be abandoned. scoop.co.nz 28 May 06
  • Ghana - UN to honour Ghanaian peacekeepers Five Ghanaians peacekeepers are to be honoured by the United Nations as part of activities marking this year's International Day of Peacekeepers on Monday, May 29. Commander Seth Amoama of the Ghana Armed Forces, currently serving with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations in New York, will receive a peacekeeping service medal. Four other officers who died while on duty at different UN Peace Missions would be honoured posthumously. They are: Corp. Christian Azumah Mensah, who died on February 8, 2005 while serving with the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), Staff Sergeant Mark Akpor, who died on March 19, 2005, while serving with UN Operations in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI). The rest are; Sergeant Emmanuel Megbetor, who died on September 4, 2005 while serving with the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) and Chief Inspector Robert Amoako of the Ghana Police Service, who died on November 21, 2005 while on duty with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). ghanaweb.com 27
  • Britain - Film director Michael Winner was branded pompous yesterday for refusing an OBE as "it is an award for toilet cleaners". Winner, star of the "calm down dear" Esure insurance adverts, said: "An OBE is what you get if you clean the toilets well."  However, his comments were not well received by Sheena Grant, a cleaner of 23 years at Aberdeen University who is to receive an MBE this summer. She said: "Whatever your job title is, is not important, it is how well you do it. He's entitled to his opinion, but it is not mine." Mrs Grant, a Unison representative, added: "Perhaps he should do a cleaner's job for a week to see how it is. I think he has done a disservice to ordinary working people. He has made himself look pompous." Winner, speaking yesterday from his London home, said of the OBE he is refusing: "It seems it's the sort of honour that goes to people who clean toilets well at railway stations. "I do not think it's something I wish to have. I do not think it is a serious award." Winner said he was also refusing the OBE as he believes the British honours system is flawed, with many issued "on how much you have given a political party". Winner was offered the OBE for his campaign to set up a permanent memorial to police officers killed in the line of duty. news.scotsman.com 29 May 06
  • United Arab Emirates - Mohammad honours 47 police officers His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, yesterday conferred medals of merit on 47 officers for rescuing a kidnapped schoolgirl in record time. Quick action by police in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah led to the arrest of two kidnappers and the release of their victim, a 13-year-old schoolgirl, in just 36 hours, said Major General Saif Abdullah Al Shaafar, undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior. This operation, he said, sends a message that security forces in the country are vigilant. A man and his cousin were each sentenced to 10 years' jail for abducting the girl, Fatima Muneer, for ransom, said Colonel Abdul Karim Al Marzouqi, director of the criminal investigation department at Abu Dhabi Police. The abductors, both from Lebanon, who are long-time residents, had deals with Muneer P.V., an Indian businessman. They reportedly attempted to blackmail him. When he refused, they drew up a plan to abduct his daughter, the police said. gulfnews.com 30 May 06
  • Ivory Coast - Remise des clés de l’hôtel des députés: 20 personnalités décorées The President of the Republic has decorated nine individuals with the title of officiers dans l’ordre du mérité national (Officer of the Order of National Merit). Honoured were Antoine Dégri, executive director responsible for the transfer of the capital to Yamoussoukro. Elevated to the rank of Officer, were four Chinese entrepreneurs who were responsible for building the new capital building. Secretary of State and Grand Chancellor, Youssouf Koné also awarded a number of decorations. Mrs Adrienne Soundélé, special advisor to the reconciliation ministry was awarded the médaille de commandeur dans l’ordre du mérite national (Medal of Commander of the Order of National Merit). A number of médailles de chevalier dans l’ordre du mérite national (Medals of Knight of the Order of National Merit) were also awarded. Article in French. eburneanews.net 29 May 06
  • Azerbaijan - Azerbaijan Awards State Medal to Zaman Daily Zaman-Azerbaijan, celebrating its 15th anniversary, was awarded by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliev with a state medal. An official statement read, “Zaman- Azerbaijan Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Enes Cansever has been awarded the Tereggi (progress) medal for his achievements in the development of Azerbaijani journalism and for the consolidation of friendly relationships between Turkey and Azerbaijan.”  zaman.com 29 May 06
  • Nepal - UN to honour four Nepalese soldiers posthumously Four Nepalese soldiers, who lost their lives while on United Nation peacekeeping missions, will be honoured by the world body at a special ceremony in New York. The four on whom the honour was being conferred are -- Warrant Officer Rishi Ram, who served in Burundi, Corporal Mohan Shingh Ga Ma and Sepoy Shyam Bahadur Katuwal, who both took part in the operations in Haiti and Major Kabindra Jung Thapa, who served in Democratic Republic of Congo.Nepal is the fifth largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping operations with 3,523 peacekeepers serving in 12 missions. newkerala.com 29 May 06
  • Norway - Stir over Korean War veterans receiving Nobel commemorative medals for UN Peacekeepers Norway's military announced that Korean War veterans must no longer be issued a medal commemorating the 1988 Nobel Peace Prize honoring U.N. Peacekeepers - saying the Korean conflict did not qualify as a U.N. peacekeeping mission. The order, handed down after a story on the medal was first reported in the Chicago Tribune, could turn pride into disappointment for scores of Korean War veterans, many in the United States, who served in the U.N.-force that took over control of South Korean forces in 1950 to help repel the invading North Koreans. "The regulations for the medal will be amended to exclude the Korean war," said Lt. Col. Jan Molberg, of the Norwegian Veterans Administration, after meeting with Norwegian U.N. veterans groups that had made Korean War veterans eligible for the medal. In awarding the 1988 peace prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said it was for U.N. peacekeeping operations that started in 1956, three years after the Korean War armistice was signed. "It was very clear when the prize was awarded that it was for U.N. operations starting in 1956," said Geir Lundestad, secretary of the Nobel Peace Prize committee. "It explicitly excluded the Korean War." In the mid-1990s, a Norwegian chapter of the U.N. veterans group won permission from the Norwegian military and the Nobel Committee to commission and distribute a medal commemorating the 1988 prize. The Bergen and Hordaland U.N. Veterans Association then decided in 2004 to extend eligibility for the medal to Korean War veterans - without first checking with the military or the Nobel committee. The U.N. force was led by the United States, and command over the South's forces remained with an American general after the Korean War ended in a 1953 cease-fire that left the two Koreas technically still in a state of conflict. "We did research and found in two history books that Korea was a U.N. operation," said Finn Andersen, a 75-year-old member of the Bergen medal committee. Skandinavisk Handels Kompagni, the Danish company that distributes the medals for the Norwegian veterans began a special campaign promoting them for Korean veterans. It has sold scores of medals to Korean War veterans for $100 or more in recent weeks. Andersen said the veterans genuinely believed that Korean veterans were eligible, but conceded that they might have misunderstood. About 2,000 medals - which have no connection to the Nobel Committee - have been sold, but it was not immediately clear how many were bought by Korean War veterans. At least one veteran wasn't ready to think he didn't deserve a piece of the Nobel Peace Prize. "I know this award is legitimate," Jerry Crise, 75, of Palatine, Ill., who paid $195 for a commemorative package in March, told the Chicago Tribune. "No dumb reporter is going to make me believe anything different." Hutton, 74, argued that after the armistice was signed, the U.N. soldiers in South Korea helped ensure that fighting did not flare up again, and that he would like to see them recognized as peacekeepers. However, Molberg, of the Norwegian Veterans Administration, said the medals must reflect the intention of the Nobel Prize. He said the regulations would be revised, and that the veterans group must immediately abide by the new terms of eligibility. "Korea was not a peacekeeping operation," said Molberg. "Apparently, the local chapter misunderstood that." belleville,com 30 May 06
  • Britain -  Bravery award for Wirral soldier Its not every day that you are faced with a hostile mob, petrol bombs, and gunfire. But that's exactly what Bebington-born soldier Peter Barnes and his colleagues in 'B' company 1st Battalion of The Cheshire Regiment came up against on a fraught day while on patrol in Northern Ireland last September. A crowd of over 300 marchers made up of members of the protestant Orange Order and Marching Bands attacked the police and soldiers after the route of their march was blocked to prevent intrusion into a predominantly Catholic area.During the riot that ensued a number of police and soldiers sustained serious injuries and a number of military vehicles were destroyed by petrol bombs. In recognition of their conduct on the day Corporal Gary Stratton , 25, from Ellesmere Port and Private Peter Barnes, who is 22, of Bebington were recently awarded a Queen's Commendation for Bravery. thiswirral.co.uk 29 May 06
  • Philipines - Philippine Medal For RBAF Commander The Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces; Pehin Dato Lailaraja Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Md Yussof, was conferred the Philippine Legion of Honour (Rank of Commander). The conferring of this prestigious order was in recognition of Pehin Dato Lailaraja Major General Dato, Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi's outstanding contribution in enhancing the bilateral military relationship between the two countries. brudirect.com 31 May 06
  • Philippines - UN honors slain Filipino peacekeeper The United Nations feted, along with 123 other fallen international peacekeepers, Army Staff Sergeant Antonio Batomalaque, who was killed in action in Haiti last year. The Philippine Mission said Secretary General Kofi Annan, in solemn ceremonies commemorating the International Day of UN Peacekeepers at the UN Headquarters, paid tribute to Batomalaque and his peers from 46 countries that died in the line of duty. Ambassador Lauro Baja Jr., Permanent Representative to the UN, received from Undersecretary General for Peacekeeping Jean Marie Guehenno the Dag Hammarskjold Medal in the Service of Peace for Batomalaque's family, according to the statement. news.inq7.net 1 Jun 06

  • Britain - Britain's Prince Charles - a TV presenter Britain's Prince Charles is turning his hand to television presenting. The royal is going to front a three-part series for the UK's Channel Five network to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Victoria Cross.  For the special commemorative show the Prince of Wales will interview 12 of the surviving recipients. The series will air in November (06). people.monstersandcritics.com 26 May 06

  • American Numismatic Society to Sell Foreign Orders, Medals, and Decorations to Benefit Acquisitions In landmark sales to be conducted in London by Auctioneers Morton & Eden in association with Sotheby's on 24-25 May and 25-26 October 2006, a unique collection of historic military medals, orders and decorations from a variety of nations will be made available to museums and the collecting community. The two sales are expected to realise in the region of £1.2 million (US $ 2 million). news-antique.com 28 Apr 06

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