WW2 US Merchant Marine DSM in Case . YMU6005cxbw2

United States Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) in Case. Ther medal has the initials P. M. on the reverse of the suspension device to represent the medal designer of Paul Manship. Second type brooch Full wrap brooch pin system with locking catch. The Dark blue case has an interesting feature that folds out the interior of the case to display the medal, this feature is found typically on Merchant Marine medal cases. Also has the outer cardboard box as well to fit the case.  I believe this one is 1940s (ww2) era. Worn condition.

Additional Notes: The Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a medal of the United States Merchant Marine (USMM). The medal is the highest award which can be bestowed upon members of that service. It is awarded to any seaman in the USMM who, on or after September of 1939, has distinguished himself during the war by outstanding conduct or service in the line of duty. Regulations state that not more than one medal shall be issued to any one seaman, but for each succeeding instance sufficient to justify the award of a medal, there will be awarded a suitable insignia to be worn with the medal.

The pin brooch was not a concern of a medal’s sculptor but was determined by the medal’s manufacturer. When ribboning a medal, the manufacturer usually uses available stock until depleted; and, as such, the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal looks to have had at least three production runs by virtue of the observed brooch type found on existing medal specimens. The first brooch, was a split brooch with lock catch; this type of brooch appeared in 1918 and was used by manufacturers through the 1930s. The second brooch used with the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service medal is the wrap brooch with lock catch. These were common in the 1920s through early-war; unfortunately, they present the same profile on the ribbon when observed from the obverse as the earlier split brooch, thus positive identification is difficult via pictures. The third brooch style found on the wartime Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medals is the slot brooch; these appeared in 1944.

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