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How to See What Military Medals You Have

Military medals are typically conferred upon an individual by a government in recognition of outstanding acts of sacrifice or bravery, which are called gallantry medals. Medals may also be issued in recognition of service or participation in a particular battle, which are called service or campaign medals. Military medals have been used since the Roman Empire and continue to be a sign of distinction and honor. There are a few ways to identify military medals that may be in an individual’s possession.

Instructions

- 1
  Learn about the background behind the military medals, if possible. If the medals belonged to a family member who served in the armed forces, ask that family member or others who might know when they served, what military branch they served, what wars they may have fought in, and any notable information that might pertain to the medal.
- 2
  Learn more information about the military branch or period of time in which the individual served to find out information about specific military U.S. medals. Resources can be found on the National Archives website at Archives.gov.
- 3
  Find resource books with detailed pictures and information about various military medals, their history and significance. Examples include “Complete Guide to United States Military Medals 1939 to Present” by Frank C. Foster and Lawrence Borts, “British Military Medals: A Guide for the Collector and Family Historian” by Peter Duckers and “Sea Service Medals: Military Awards and Decorations of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard” by Fred L. Borch and Charles P. McDowell.
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  Find out more information about U.S. military medals from the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps or Navy at websites such as Military Quotes.com, which provide information and photographs for U.S. military medals.
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  Look at websites that offer detailed information about military medals for other countries over time. Examples of websites include Military Medal.co.uk and Der Freiwillige.com, to name a few.

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