United States. A First War Veteran's Group Of Three

World War I Victory Medal, 5 Clasps - DEFENSIVE SECTOR, MEUSE-ARGONNE, ST. MIHIEL, AISNE-MARNE, CHAMPAGNE-MARNE (in bronze, measuring 36 mm, original ribbon with brooch pinback); France: Commemorative Medal of the War 1914-1918 (in bronze, engraver marked "A, MORLON" on the obverse, measuring 32.7 mm (w) x 37 mm (h), original ribbon with dual prong pinback); and Forty and Eight Veterans Organization Medal (in bronze gilt, "UNION MADE" mark on the reverse, measuring 35.7 mm (w) x 29.5 mm (h), original ribbon with pinback). Near extremely fine. Accompanied by their 108 mm (w) x 11.5 mm (h) Ribbon Bar with pinback, five bronze stars on WWIVM ribbon.

Footnote: The World War I Victory Medal is a service medal of the United States military which was first created in 1919, designed by James Earle Fraser. The medal was originally intended to be created due to an act of the United States Congress. However, the bill authorizing the medal never passed, leaving the service departments to create the award through general orders. The United States Army published orders authorizing the World War I Victory Medal in April 1919 and the U.S. Navy followed in June of that same year. The French Commemorative Medal of the War 1914-1918 was instituted on June 23, 1920, for award to all military personnel with service during the Great War. Also eligible were civilians engaged in war work of various forms. The Forty and Eight is an organization of veterans of the United States armed forces. Its official name is "La Société des Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux," which is French, and translates as "The Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses." (C:102)