Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1919 — MEDALS FOR WAR VICTORS [ARTICLE]

MEDALS FOR WAR VICTORS

Designs Agreed on at Conferences of the Allied Nation*. Washington, D. €., April 14. — After prolonged conference with all the allied governments. General March announced today, a design has been approved for issuance to every soldier who participated in the great war o» the allied side of a "victory medal" In commemoration of his service to civilization. The design will be similar for all countries on the face, but may differ in detail for the various armies. The obverse side of th? medal will bear a winged v’etory and on the reverse will be, in the language of the country by which it is issued, the words "the great war for civilization,” and the arms of the allies. A campaign ribbon also has been adopted to consist of "double rainbow” series with the red in the center. This ribbon will be similar for all armies and is to be issued in the United States very soon. A lapel button) for civil -wear also has been adopted. It will be of bronze, except in the cases of soldiers wounded in action, when it will be of silver. This medal will represent a star in a wreath with the letters "U. 8.” for the American soldier in the center. The design for the victory medal

already ha* been turned over to the national art cosmnlsalon, of which Charles Dan* Glbaon is chairman. To indicate participation in the more important engagements, extra claep* will be given to be attached to the ribbon of the medal. For the American army these clasps will bear the names of battles selected by General Pershing as the most important engagements of the war. Special clasps also will designate the place of service, as in France, England, Siberia oj Italy. For the service ribbons similar insignia have been approved, in the form of stars to represent these engagements. Citations of individual soldiers will be shown by attaching a small silver star for each citation. The engagements selected by General Pershing, to be mentioned on the discharges of soldiers who participated in them, are as follows: "Somme defensive, March 21 to April 6; Lys defensive, April 9 to April 27; Aisne defensive (Chemin des Dames and northeast of Rheims), May 27 to Jyne 5; Mont-didier-Noyon defensive, June 9 to June 13; Champaign-Marne defensive, July 15 to July 18; AisneMarne offensive, July 18 to August 6; Somme offensive. August 8 to November 11; Oise-Aisnie offensive. August 18 to November 11; YpresLys offensive, August 19 to Novem-

ber 11; «t. Mlhiel offenstve, September 12 to September 1«; M>meeArgonne offensive, September 28 to November 11; battle of VittorioVeneto, Italy, October 24 to November 4, 1918." "Wte propose," said General March, "to award this medal to all officers, enlisted men, field clerk* and army nurse* who served on active duty for at least 15 days at any time between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918, in the army of the United States, and whose service in the army was honorable. "As It will take some Httle time to develop the medal Itself, the ribbon will be awarded first as it can be procured. We expect to be able to start furnishing the ribbon in a short time."