Combat Infantry Badges, Airborne Wings, and a few other things I picked up today

[Thaddeus]

Hi all,
First of all I want to apologize for not posting more recently. After my return from my internship with NATO I finished my last semester and commissioned into the US Army as an intelligence officer. Today while wandering around a couple of things caught my eye. The first was a couple of combat infantry badges. Normally these are not very rare a the still issue them out to this day. What was rare was at they had a different number of stars above them. The star signifies that the person who earned the badge fought in two separate conflicts (world war two and Korea for example). To find a combat infantry badge with two stars above it is especially rare. There were roughly around 300 soldiers that earned their CIB with two stars. I was initially skeptical about buying these CIBs but the more I looked at them the more I figured it would be worth the risk. The metal on them are slightly tarnished and the one with two stars has what looks to be makers marks on the back side. I was told by the seller that both CIBs came from the same soldier as well as the two sets of airborne wings. One set of airborne wings has what looks to be a makers mark on the back. So for the hefty price of 40 dollars I took a risk that I hope was worth it. Later in the day while at anger antique shop I saw a other CIB from the Second World War. It was groups with ribbons and a few marine badges. The gentleman selling them told me it had all been together and the cloth it was on appeared to prove that point. I hated to break them up so I bought the lot together for a pretty good price. I've been able to figure out what the majority of the ribbons are but I haven't figured out what the one on the top row in the center is with the two stars as well as the one on the bottom right. They appear to be the same one. Any advice on what they are would be greatly appreciated!
Have a Happy New Year,
Thaddeus

[Nathan362]

Well, I definitely think they are the same, but what they are I cannot find either. I have a sheet here that shows all the medals from ww2 on. I wonder if its prior to that, or some unofficial award!!??

[Nathan362]

Ohhh, may have found it... Philippine Liberation WWII Military Medal | Medals of America

Pretty neat looking medal. They can't be that common either, I wouldn't think!

[Thaddeus]

I think you hit the nail on the head, Nathan! I've never even heard of the award before but it is pretty neat! The top one has toe stars on it. I wonder if they signify two different phases of the campaign?? It doesn't say anything about them on Wikipedia.
Thanks again!

[Nathan362]

It actually tells on that link. There are apparently 3 criteria for the award, if you got two of them you got one star, and if you met all three you got two stars. Looks like this guy was a ground pounder for sure! You should also be able to find that di, and fing out what regiment and division he was in.

[Thaddeus]

I would love if I could figure out how to do that! I wonder how many of these medals a were issued? I found a list on Wikipedia of 45 people that received them but it would seem like so many more soldiers, sailors, and marines would have received them.
Here is the link: Category:Recipients of the Philippine Liberation Medal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Thaddeus

[Masonk]

Thadeus,
The WWII era CIB is German made, so likely occupation era. This is evident by the pin catch on the reverse. Very nice piece and not as common as it's US made counterpart.

The CIB with 2 stars, denoting participation in 3 conflicts, was made by HLP, or His Lordship Products (later His Lordship Industries). Based on the makers mark, this would have been made prior to 1977, or so. HLP manufactured military insignia and medals up until the 90's when they lost their contract due to selling back door copies of the Medal of Honor. Definitely an authentic piece.

The AB wings marked D22 would date to around the same period (after 1974 or so) and were made by Denmark Military Equipment Corporation.

Overall, some very nice finds!

[Thaddeus]

Thanks for the information Yeungling.... i really like your username haha. I wish I could find out some more information of the CIB with two stars. I would love to find out who had it. It came out of New Smyrna Beach, FL. I'm sure a lot of those guys retired down there.

Thaddeus