WW 2 memorabilia estate find

[johnnierotten]

they NOW reside in a wonderful private museum in NY, where we're sure they'll be respected as they shud be.

Good job, Dave. ....very admirable!!

[militarymania]

Yes it's sad but this happens more times than not...once items are donated to a museum,they become property of the museum to do with as they see fit.Many times a museum will sell these duplicate items to raise money for projects or other displays that need funding to start or complete.Many museums have simply gone out of business due to lack of funding/interest,and these items wind up in the hands of collectors.Too bad the family donated the items with the best of intentions and hope that their loved one's memorabilia would wind up on display and not in the hands of a collector,as they derived no real benefit other than the "feel good" euphoria of believing they did the right thing.The museum gets the financial windfall and the donors get nothing.

[snorkel]

sold or abandoned same difference really. Good to hear they will be taken care of.

[jerryd6818]

i could be wrong,,but i havent read where the law makes exception for "theatrical performance" and since they didnt earn the award,,,they are in violation of the letter,if not the spirit of the law,,,i know i am nit picking,but this inane legislation is a tribute to our mostly congressional jerks,and need to be totally scraped,,,,i have said enough,i think,,,

The regulations and laws do make exceptions for "theatrical performance". Where exceptions aren't made is for the jackass that parades around claiming service without having served, rank not attained and/or medals, ribbons and awards not earned. I don't care if it's just a candy dish award like the National Defense Service Medal, if you didn't earn it you need your head removed from atop your body if you're caught wearing it.

I could easily claim I was in a fire fight and pin on a Combat Action Ribbon. Who would be the wiser? Me, that's who! Every time someone does that it devalues the award, insults those who risked their lives and well being and demeans the action which earned the right for them to wear that award.

To address your other point, the legislation is not inane, nor is it a tribute to "congressional jerks". It's a long over-due tribute to those who served and I'm happy to see penalties in place for those who would cheapen that service.

If someone wants to start their own personal museum by collecting militaria, that's fine, but I hope I don't catch them playing dress up in public with their collection. I'm too pretty to go to jail.

Show some respect for the awards and the men who earned them. Take time when you get a chance and read a few citations for the Medal of Honar, Navy Cross or Silver Star. Those guys didn't buy their awards off eBay.

[DRM60]

very well stated Jerry.

[Aimus Moses]

Amen Jerry, Amen!

Aimus

[vintageshavingshoppe]

Well guys I might be standing alone on this and going against the grain but I honestly don't think awarded medals like the Medal of Honor, Bronze & Silver Stars, and Purple Hearts should be allowed to be sold. Those medals were not "given", they were earned by the people that received them. If the person awarded the medal passes away, and the family doesn't wish to keep the medal to be handed down to family members, then I think the medal should be buried with the person that was awarded it. Those medals represent something that can't be bought or sold, and shouldn't be. I'll step down off my soap box now.

Respectfully, Aimus

I think that is a very good thought. Unfortunately, the family that does not care what the item represents generally doesn't think to bury the medal with the veteran. I think that there are two questions here, one of philosophy the other of ownership.

Philosophically, the medal is not valor itself, but the recognition of an act of valor. And if it is such, does it detract from the valor of the one who has earned it if the medal is sold? I don't see how it can. The medal is an object. The valor or honor was conferred upon the soldier in recognition of their actions. In truth, the act that led to the awarding of the medal was the precious thing in itself and did not need recognition. What if the medal was destroyed by fire or buried by an earthquake? Would the valor cease to exist? Of course not. From this, we can reason that the medal is but a symbol of the act of valor and it does not disgrace the actor to be parted from their person or family.

That said, it is certainly a repugnant act to represent oneself as having earned a medal that he/she did not. While it does not directly harm the original recipient, but claiming valor falsely does do damage in principle in that the awards themselves may become suspect. People may begin to discount the acts represented by the award, because the symbol has now lost its integrity. THIS is what I believe the concept of "stolen valor" is about. The crime not being that valor was “stolen” from the individual who had earned the award, but rather FALSE honor being bestowed upon the thief.

I believe that these honors should be kept in the families of those who earned them. That said, if for some reason they do not want them or care about them, they should be able to be sold to someone who will respect them as a symbol of what a soldier, sailor, marine or airman did in the service of his country. Ideally, it should be kept as part of a group that includes the recipients identity and as much of the story about the valorous act and the life of the recipient as possible. The buyer then becomes the custodian of that object and has a responsibility to care for it. This should be the case for any honors, including those bestowed by an enemy on one of their servicemen or women. With some notable exceptions, acts of valor are universal and should command respect regardless of where you stand personally.