WWII medals (Army, soldier, live, sold)

[pumpkin5]

I don't know if there is another thread with this question didn't see one.

My Dad passed away 2 years ago and I was the lucky recipient of his WWII medals and a German knife that apparently he took off a German soldier in hand to hand combat. I was always very interested but he did not like to talk about his war experience.

I would like to do a display in a shadow box of his medals and maybe include
the knife and some photos. He has a purple heart and ribbon, medal of good conduct, bronze star and ribbon, combat infantryman pin and then a pin with three ribbons for the theaters (I think that is the term) the different areas he served in. A friend mention that she thought there was a proper way they should be arranged for display.

Anyone have suggestions about how to display these medals?

[stillkit]

Here's a site which lists all the Army medals and their order of precedence.

They should be arranged in ascending order, from bottom to top and from left to right as you view them. That is, the least "valuable" medal or ribbon should occupy the first position on the left of the bottom row of ribbons and the others arranged sequentially from there. Only 3 ribbons to a row, then you start another one. If a subsequent row contains less than 3 ribbons, they are centered.

The Combat Infantryman's Badge (the blue badge with a musket) is positioned on top of everything else.

http://www.americanwarlibrary.com/display/usa.htm

[Smoke_Jaguar4]

Originally Posted by pumpkin5

I don't know if there is another thread with this question didn't see one.

My Dad passed away 2 years ago and I was the lucky recipient of his WWII medals and a German knife that apparently he took off a German soldier in hand to hand combat. I was always very interested but he did not like to talk about his war experience.

I would like to do a display in a shadow box of his medals and maybe include
the knife and some photos. He has a purple heart and ribbon, medal of good conduct, bronze star and ribbon, combat infantryman pin and then a pin with three ribbons for the theaters (I think that is the term) the different areas he served in. A friend mention that she thought there was a proper way they should be arranged for display.

Anyone have suggestions about how to display these medals?

On why he didn't like to talk about it: War is hell. Forget about all the hero stuff in the movies. War is about killing and surviving. Too many of us spend the rest of our lives trying to forget.

On his medals:
Bronze Star
Purple Heart
Good Conduct
Theater medals

Stillkit's website is good, but the definitive guide is Army Regulation 600-8-22: http://www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/r600_8_22.pdf

Salute to your dad, may he rest in peace.

[pumpkin5]

Thank you both so much. I am going to begin the project this weekend.

I'm sure war would be an experience you would rather forget. Now that I have a son of my own it's hard for me to imagine my Dad at such a young age, he was 19 when he was drafted, going through the Battle of the Bulge and seeing so many fellow soldiers killed. I am also extremely proud of him and all the men past and present who serve.