"WORLD WAR SERVICE STATE OF OREGON" medal

Bonjour,





Voici le descriptif en anglais:

The Oregon Legislature appointed a committee to decide on the design of a medal to award to Oregon veterans "to express the state's appreciation and gratitude for sacrifices made by her participants in the world war." The committee consisted of the governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, state librarian, and adjutant general.


The committee talked to artists both in Oregon and nationally about the design of the bronze medal. And, its secretary, the hard working Cornelia Marvin, collected literature and sample medals from several manufacturing companies. Recognizing the aesthetic limitations of a committee comprised mostly of politicians, they resolved to create an advisory art committee to help with the selection. The advisory committee was instructed to "select as beautiful and as artistic a design as it is possible to secure, and that the medal should be large enough to be distinct and plain at a distance."


The advisory committee soon balked at the amount of money appropriated for the medals, claiming that, at less than 23 cents per medal, the amount "would only permit the purchased of a commercial design that is in no way expressive of the feelings of the people of this state and would make no appeal to the men as a thing to be preserved and cherished." The committee recommended going to the next legislature for more money. Marvin also lobbied the governor to press for more money: "I was told the other day that the American Legion has paid 20c [cents] each for its buttons. The state ought to give something better than this little American Legion button." But the governor wanted to attempt to stay on schedule for presenting the medals in county ceremonies on November 11, 1919.


Another aspect of the process, however, made this impossible. Cornelia Marvin's work as state historian collecting military service histories was far from complete and it was needed to determine the recipients of the medals. Still, after receiving bids from several Oregon and national companies, the state pressed ahead, awarding the contract to the Whitehead and Hoag Company of New Jersey. They were to produce 32,000 medals, 800 of which were to have gold stars to honor those who died. Although many more Oregon men and women served during the war, the committee believed that only 32,000 would claim medals. The final design of the medal read "World War Service" and included an eagle and the state seal. The back of the medal read "Presented by the State of Oregon in grateful recognition of faithful service during the World War 1917-1918."


Instead of the earlier planned county run ceremonies for distributing the medals, the adjutant general decided to give the duty to the local American Legion posts. While this ruffled some feathers of non-members and other organizations, most of the medals were distributed in this manner.

Source: Oregon State Archives