Pop's Verdun Medal WW2

DanielBlack

DanielBlack

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Alright military history buffs, I've got a question for you.

Just about all of the information I can find on the Verdun Medal refers to WWI, but it clearly was awarded in WW2 as well.

In his published memoir, Eugene Schulz, a S/Sgt at XX Corps HQ, says it was awarded to the corps and all personnel at HQ were given the badge.

An AP blurb in the LA Times reports Patton receiving one on Nov 26 1945.

My grandfather seems to have received one as a Signal Corps T/Sgt attached to 12th Army Group HQ.

Other than these three instances, I can't find anything other than WW1. Can anyone lend some insight toward the awarding of Verdun Medals in WW2? Who qualified?

Pop's medal
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That's a mystery alright... the Battle of Verdun happened in the early years of WW1... 1916...ish
The medal wasn't an "official" military medal and wasn't authorized for wear by Americans. It was actually awarded by the City of Verdun. (here's where I found that info)
That's more common than you would think. At the end of the First Gulf War, the country of Saudi Arabia awarded those of us that served there the Liberation of Kuwait medal. It's a beautiful medal... but was never actually authorized for wear on an American uniform. It looks good hanging on the wall in a display case though. You should do the same with that one.
 
Thanks, Jim. What you describe jives with what I've found.

When my Dad mentioned he had Pop's Verdun Medal, I naturally went to Google to find out what it signified. Everything pointed to WWI. I figured Pop might have picked up one of the many 'repops' commercially available after the Great War.

But my Dad then sent the pics and I found it to be a real deal Vernier version commissioned by Verdun. The red box, Vernier's name, the stamped cornucopia, the mark of the Paris Mint. Then some more digging brought up the mentions of medals given to XX Corps HQ personnel and Patton, but nothing else.

I do know Pop passed through Verdun. Along with the rest of 12th Army Group HQ, he had been stationed in Verdun during the autumn and winter of 44/45. The photo attached to the first post is from the National Archives. It's of Yom Kippur service in the Synagogue of Verdun in late Sept 44. That's my Pop, circled in red.

We have a handful of items from Pop's service, but a whole lot is missing. Dad's parents moved apartments from Williamsburg to Flatbush while Dad was away at college. Grandma saw no need to move anything stored in the attic. Pop's WWII stuff, Dad's scout stuff, who knows what else. I was super bummed to hear this as a teenager.
 
This is correct, my father served in the XX corps in WWII. He received one when they moved into Verdun. They were handing them out to the GIs in appreciation for liberating the area. Apparently they had a lot of them left over from WWI and wanted to do something special for the US troops.
 
Jim said:
That's a mystery alright... the Battle of Verdun happened in the early years of WW1... 1916...ish
The medal wasn't an "official" military medal and wasn't authorized for wear by Americans. It was actually awarded by the City of Verdun. (here's where I found that info)
That's more common than you would think. At the end of the First Gulf War, the country of Saudi Arabia awarded those of us that served there the Liberation of Kuwait medal. It's a beautiful medal... but was never actually authorized for wear on an American uniform. It looks good hanging on the wall in a display case though. You should do the same with that one.
Click to expand...
@Jim you are a gem...
 
DanielBlack said:
Alright military history buffs, I've got a question for you.

Just about all of the information I can find on the Verdun Medal refers to WWI, but it clearly was awarded in WW2 as well.

In his published memoir, Eugene Schulz, a S/Sgt at XX Corps HQ, says it was awarded to the corps and all personnel at HQ were given the badge.

An AP blurb in the LA Times reports Patton receiving one on Nov 26 1945.

My grandfather seems to have received one as a Signal Corps T/Sgt attached to 12th Army Group HQ.

Other than these three instances, I can't find anything other than WW1. Can anyone lend some insight toward the awarding of Verdun Medals in WW2? Who qualified?

Pop's medal
View attachment 170218 View attachment 170219
Click to expand...
DanielBlack said:
Alright military history buffs, I've got a question for you.

Just about all of the information I can find on the Verdun Medal refers to WWI, but it clearly was awarded in WW2 as well.

In his published memoir, Eugene Schulz, a S/Sgt at XX Corps HQ, says it was awarded to the corps and all personnel at HQ were given the badge.

An AP blurb in the LA Times reports Patton receiving one on Nov 26 1945.

My grandfather seems to have received one as a Signal Corps T/Sgt attached to 12th Army Group HQ.

Other than these three instances, I can't find anything other than WW1. Can anyone lend some insight toward the awarding of Verdun Medals in WW2? Who qualified?

Pop's medal
View attachment 170218 View attachment 170219
Click to expand...
I am putting together a scrapbook of my dad's service in World War II. In his own handwriting it wrote: Medal of Verdun September 7, 1944 by Mayor Leon Chaize. I have never seen this medal, but it was obviously real.
 
TXLEO said:
This is correct, my father served in the XX corps in WWII. He received one when they moved into Verdun. They were handing them out to the GIs in appreciation for liberating the area. Apparently they had a lot of them left over from WWI and wanted to do something special for the US troops.
Click to expand...

Thank you!

My great uncle, brother-in-law to my grandfather above, served in XX Corps. A forward artillery observer in the 94th Inf Div, he earned a Bronze Star on his way past Nennig when XX broke through the Siegfried Switch.
 
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