Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1920 — VICTORY MEDAL APPLICATIONS [ARTICLE]

VICTORY MEDAL APPLICATIONS

Victory Medals are being applied for so Blowly by ex-service men that Major General P. C- Harris, the adjutant general of the army, has notified the officers in charge of the distribution to make the utrnqst effort to reach all who deserve it. It is estimated that 3,757,624 men who served in the army are entitled to the medal, but to date only 379,214 or about 10 per cent of the number, have applied. Applications are coming in at the rate of only 6,800 a day, whfth is far below the capacity for issue of the working crew in the Philadelphia general supply depot. The quartermaster has put on a large force and these men are being held at much expense to the government. “It is no more difficult to make out a form for the Victory Medal,” announces General Harris, "than it is to fill out a money order blank.” This form verifies the recipient’s service and his present whereabouts. It will prevent the medals from falling into the wrong hands. The government’s gift is a work of art, not a bauble, and has intrinsic as well as sentimental value. It cannot be sent out to unverified addresses, any more than Liberty bonds or war insurance checks, many of which have been lost before reaching the addresses in spite of all possible care.. “The ex-service man has only to apply at the nearest army post or recruiting officer in his home town,

or through any patriotic society, such as the American Legion or the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Here he will be shown how to fill out his blank, and if his discharge papers are correct, the application 1b forwarded direct to Philadelphia, and the medal mailed within a week. Hundreds of applicants have given wrong addresses, and many medals are returned daily by the post office because the men cannot be located.** For service in the United States 117,194 medals have been issued to date, and 79,092 for service in foreign countries. There have been 66,005 medals with three battle clasps Issued, and 53,510 with two battle clasps. These afe the largest numbers of all with battle clasps, which range from one to 11. There have been 62 medals issued with nine clasps, nine medals with ten clasps and two with 11 clasps. The American Legion makes no distinction between members and non-members in the Victory Medal distribution. There are also special blanks for the next of kin. in order that the relatives may obtain the decorations for those who killed in action, or who died in line of dnty. Ex-service men please see N. C. Shafer, P. C., or Cope J. Hanley, P. A., Dewey Biggs post, No. M. Rensselaer, for assistance in procuring these medals.